The Final Fantasy XI Chronicles 2: Hero's Journey
by Vivli
Summary: The sequel to the FFXI Chronicles: The battle for the past has ended, but the battle for the present is just beginning. Now completed! Please take the time to read!
1. I

**THE FFXI CHRONICLES 2: HERO'S JOURNEY**

**Author's Note: Well, firstly, thanks for taking the interest to make it this far. A day after the original finished and I'm starting the sequel. Unfortunately, I can't guarantee this will be finished because I don't have an overall plan for it yet. I can't imagine me _not _finishing it because I wouldn't want to let anybody down, no matter how few people are reading it, but if it is finished it may not stay "The FFXI Chronicles 2" but instead just become a much shorter side story. I actually have a 'save the world' idea, but I'm not sure if it'll become too tiresome.**

**If you haven't read the first one, but want to read this, then you should be able to. The introduction will spoil the first one quite quickly, but you should be able to enjoy this anyway.**

**The italic 'memories' at the start of every chapter have been scrapped this time, mainly because there's nothing left to tell in them. Also, the chapters are probably going to end up shorter because I'm less certain of the plot. Other than that, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy it.**

**PART I**

A legend had emerged in Vana'diel recently. They called it a legend because nobody understood it. The legend said that the evil Demon Lord Chaos returned, and once again, as they had a million years ago, four Light Warriors bearing four crystal shards emerged to repel him. They say they travelled across time itself, to the past, to a million years in the past, and defeated him once and for all.

What happened is not entirely clear. The four nations of Vana'diel united, and struck against the Temple of Uggalepih, which had been overrun by evil dragons summoned from the shadows. This was fact. This had happened. Four warriors had been sent through to the temple. Shortly after, the summon spell was broken and the dragons vanished. The summoner had been killed. People claim that this was Chaos, and he had gone back in time, thus his spell had worn off. Others claim the warriors had defeated him within. Nobody really knows. It has instead become another legend that spreads across Vana'diel to give hope to the people.

The Light Warrior's had no names to the people. They had no race. They had no background. Some believed they were the original four, who had gone forward in time just as the original legend said they had gone back.

In truth, they were quite different. Bootus, the gigantic galka, a monk who apparently lived to argue and mock. Vivli, a small mithra, a white mage who seemed to lack any courage or combat ability. Zinkata, a hume, a thief turned warrior who held the party together. Voldos, a dark elvaan, a womanising warrior, competent with a bow and sword. These four had saved the world.

Every journey comes to an end. Everything that begins finishes. For these four warriors, their adventure was over. But their friendship endured. The four united once more, to answer the unanswered. Questions that still hung over them. It was Vivli, the mithra, who wanted to know. She had been taken from her parents to be raised ready to fight Chaos before she was old enough to know who they were. Now she was seeking them. And this quest had brought the four to Windurst, the city of magic, so that they may find an answer.

Vivli opened her eyes with a groan. She was in bed. She let out a groan and rolled to the side. Unfortunately, the bed wasn't as big as she thought and she rolled straight off of it, landing with a crash. She groaned, rising.

"That's one way of getting up." She mumbled.

"Do you always talk to yourself?" Bootus asked, and she screamed, jumping back onto her bed.

"What the hell are you doing in here?" She cried, seeing the galka slouched in the doorway. They were staying in an inn at Windurst, and Vivli had insisted on having her own room. She certainly didn't want Voldos to be around when she was getting changed to sleep.

"I was going to wake you up, but I'm glad I didn't. That was hilarious." The galka told her with a gigantic smirk underneath his black beard.. She rubbed her eyes, and jumped off the bed.

"Where's Zinkata and Voldos?" She asked.

"Getting breakfast." Came the reply.

"You what?" She cried. "You let them get breakfast? You fool!" She bolted from the room, just knowing that they were going to do something stupid.

"No, you have to wind it in gently!" Zinkata told Voldos, who was gripping a fishing pole and dangling it in the water.

"But if I do that they get away!" The elvaan protested.

"Not if you do it subtly enough." Zinkata explained.

"Why don't you catch them then?" Voldos asked, crossing his arms smugly. Unfortunately, the process of crossing his arms meant he let go of the fishing rod and it fell in the water, drifting away. Zinkata let out a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes.

"What happened?" Vivli asked in shock as she watched it float away.

"Zinkata dropped the fishing rod." Voldos explained. Zinkata went to say something but Vivli got in first.

"Was this the fishing rod outside my room with 'Vivli's: do not touch' inscribed on it?" She asked.

"Yeah, why?" Voldos inquired. Vivli just let out a sigh of exasperation, tugging at her hair. "It's not like you use it. How many things have you caught with that?"

"That's not the point!" The answer was, of course, none. "The point is, it's mine!" She turned to Zinkata. "What happened to _your_ fishing rod?"

"Think I left it in Seblina three lifetimes ago." The past seemed so distant recently that a 'lifetime' had become their standard unit of measurement between the adventurers.

"But I only brought that two weeks ago!" Vivli had a knack for losing things. She now had a small paddle like staff, despite once swearing to never buy another one, but interestingly, it was tied to her belt with a length of rope. This was to make sure she never lost it again. She had a gut feeling it would never work.

"How long until we go to Kazham anyway?" Voldos asked, having been desperate to get to the mithran paradise since he heard of its existence.

"Guess we should leave pretty soon." Vivli grumbled. "Nobody's heard of anybody who might be my parents here." She sighed as she heard an all too familiar stamping. Bootus thundered over to the group.

"So, where's my breakfast!" Cried the galka.  
"Voldos dropped my fishing rod in the water." Vivli gave in answer.

"We were going to eat fishing rod?" Exclaimed Bootus. "I'm glad he dropped it."

"Fish you moron!" Vivli tried to hit Bootus across the head, but discovered she was too short.

"Or, we could, you know, _buy _some food." Bootus suggested. "Not like we're low on cash after all. The reward money was pretty damn high."

"Yeah, but we can't go to the restaurant anymore." Vivli explained. "We just get mocked ever since Voldos tried to persuade everybody we were the Light Warriors. Without the crystal shards, nobody believes us."

"Well, you're the one that shattered them!" Voldos said in his defence.

"So I could cast Ultima and defeat Chaos!" Vivli protested. "I'm sorry if I broke your precious little proof of our heroism just so that we could, you know, save the whole freakin' world!" She wasn't as angry as she seemed, and was more making a joke. Luckily the others caught on, and let out a snigger.

"Well, Viv, contrary to popular belief there's more than one place to eat in Windurst." Zinkata told her.

"Really?" Vivli gasped in sarcastic surprise. "I was unaware of this! Damn, if only I'd lived here all my life!" Zinkata rolled his eyes.

"Viv, no offence, but you're not funny." He told her. Vivli grumbled something.

"Nah, it's not she doesn't know about them." Bootus explained. "It's just she's too posh to eat anywhere but a restaurant."

"That doesn't even make sense!" Vivli cried at this insult.

"Well, diddums." Bootus told her. She let out an infuriated scream. She didn't even know what 'diddums' meant.

The four heroes did eventually acquire food. And after that, Zinkata decided to show his latest discovery to the others.

"Look at this, guys." He said, getting out four black pearls.

"Linkshells?" Inquired Voldos.

"Yeah." Zinkata told the others. "Thought it was about time we got them." Vivli looked strangely horrified. "What's wrong?" The warrior asked.

"This means wherever I go, whatever I do, I'll always be able to hear Bootus." She said in fear. The others laughed.

"What did you call our group then?" Voldos asked Zinkata.

"What else?" Zinkata told Voldos.  
"Light Warriors." The four said together.

The four heroes had come to an agreement. They said they'd spend the morning finished anything they had to do in Windurst before heading to the chocobo stables by the afternoon and riding to Jeuno, where, in turn, they'd catch an airship to Kazham. Vivli was glad of this light hearted attitude, as she had at first felt a little selfish, gathering them all to look for her parents. But it had become much more of a holiday, and they spent most of their time having fun, free from danger, and asking around just for something to do. They had been enjoying themselves like this for quite some time, and had now become convinced they had explored the whole of Windurst, met every mithra, and found no trace of anybody who could be related to Vivli.

She had spent this final morning in the city shopping for clothes. She figured now the world was saved, she no longer had to stay in the same robe all the time, and could worry about more trivial things. She was also planning to let her hair grow. It was usually very short, with two little pig tails hanging down the sides, but she had decided she didn't need to worry about keeping it short anymore. She didn't even know why she had in the first place. Unfortunately, before she could think any more about her appearance, Voldos blundered into the shop.

"Li!" He yelled. "I have some stunningly brilliant news!"

"What?" She quickly asked, excited.

"There's a bandit raid outside town!" He told her with a smile.  
"What? Why's that good news?" Vivli inquired, confused.

"Because it means we get to stop it!" He cried cheerfully. "With any luck, we'll save some really hot girl from certain death and she'll be indebted to me and we'll-" Voldos's rambling and general attitude was getting on Vivli's nerves, so she hit him with her paddle. He snapped out of his trance.  
"Let's just go." She sighed.

"Great!" Voldos beamed. "Bootus and Zinkata are already there."

Four scruffy looking rouges beat back Zinkata and Bootus. Zinkata successfully disarmed one, but got hit to the chest by another. A white light engulfed him as Vivli came to his side, panting.

"You never told me they were so far away." She gasped between breaths.

"You are seriously out of shape." Bootus mocked in the middle of battle.

"Can we concentrate?" Zinkata asked, getting up. "Please?" Bootus pulled back, and the four heroes stood in a line. The rogues did the same.

"Ha." Snarled one of the thugs. "Look at them. Standing there like they're some legendary warriors."

"Shall we tell them?" Voldos inquired.

"They'd never believe us." Zinkata replied.

"Yeah, I think we can take 'em." Another rogue decided. Voldos drew his bow and arrow, and shot him.

"You thought wrong, pal." The elvaan taunted. Another rogue drew his sword, and charged at Voldos. Bootus jumped in, grabbing the thief with his hands and threw him back. The rogue crashed down, turning and running. Bootus beamed a smile. The other two looked at each other and ran. The heroes looked particularly proud of this.

Vivli suddenly noticed a mithra curled up on the floor. She ran over and quickly cast a healing spell. The mithra sat up, looking quite scared. She had long orange hair running down her back and was about a head height taller than Vivli was.

"Are you alright?" Vivli asked, before getting shoved aside by Voldos.

"Lucky we were here to save you!" The elvaan exclaimed. "I can think of a repayment, if you want to know." He said with a smile. Vivli sighed.  
"Sorry about him." She said.

"It's okay." The mithra shook her head. "I'm fine. My name's Dedji." Vivli blinked for a moment. It was a fairly strange name.

"What happened exactly?" Zinkata asked.

"Those dammed bandits ambushed me on my way to Windurst." She told him. "Think they're looking for someone. Thought I was her." Bootus looked over her. Red hair. Vivli had ginger.

"Vivli? Have you pissed off some _other _demon lord?" The galka asked.

"Hey!" Vivli protested. "There are a lot of mithra! Just because some bandits are hunting one doesn't mean it's me!"

"Well, we'll make sure you find somewhere safe to stay." Zinkata told Dedji. "Then we'll drag Voldos away to make sure you stay safe." Voldos looked disappointed. "We're heading to Kazham, I guess that's where you came from?"

"Yeah." Dedji answered.

"If we see anything, we'll let you know when we get back." Zinkata was a fairly good team leader for all his faults.

They took Dedji to the inn at Windurst, where she could stay, and literally did find themselves dragging Voldos away by his large elvaan ear to stop him hitting on her. The four headed to the chocobo stable, and prepared to depart.

"Well," Zinkata sighed, "At least if bandit attacks are common the journey will be fun."

"Yes." Vivli said blankly. "Fun. I just love getting attacked."

"Now, now, Viv." Bootus began sarcastically. "Not all of us are cowards."

"I am _not _a coward!" She yelled.

They walked into the chocobo stable, paid, and climbed up on their steeds.

"I honestly think you are." Bootus told her as they rode out.

"I'm not!" She cried.

"She's not really." Voldos said. For a moment Vivli smiled as he came to her defence. Then he continued to speak. "She's more girly than cowardly."

"What?" Vivli yelled. "I am not girly!" Bootus let out a loud laugh and Vivli grumbled to herself.

They had only just left and things were already back to normal.


	2. II

**PART II**

Long forgotten feelings were awoken in Vivli as she tried to get to sleep that night. She was laying in the team's tent, one they had erected in the canyon on the path to Jeuno. This was the first night she had slept under the stars in her life without the stress and worry of responsibility. This time they were out purely for themselves. But she couldn't help feeling as if some weight was on her shoulders. As if there was something they had to do. She rolled over, trying to sleep. She knew it was a simple case of conditioning, every time she had slept in a tent something had been happening, they had been working towards something, so now she felt like she still was.

At some point, she dropped into sleep, because Voldos woke her up with a gentle rocking.

"Get up!" Voldos told her.

"Definitely back to normal." She sighed, sitting up slowly. "What's the rush?" She asked with a slight smile. Voldos paused.

"Usually, nothing, but this time there's something we want to check out." Voldos told her. Vivli bolted up right, as if having something urgent fed energy into her. She ran outside the tent.

"Look." Voldos dropped down to her level, pointing over her shoulder so she could follow his arm. "Over there." There was a cloud of smoke rising from down the canyon.

"Yes, thank you." Vivli sighed. "I can see. Let's go check it out."

"Actually, Viv." Zinkata spoke slowly, as if he was trying to be tactful. "We need someone to put away the tents."

"Why the hell should that be me?" Vivli asked, slightly surprised by this.

"Simple. We figure its either some petty group of bandits, which we can deal with, a campfire, which we can deal with, or some monster, which we can probably deal with. You however, probably couldn't." Bootus explained.

"I could deal with the campfire." Vivli muttered sadly.

"So it's safer for you, and faster for us, if you pack up the tent and equipment and we go check that out." Zinkata told her. "Come on, you keep saying how you don't like violence, so you get it your way."

"I don't like packing up tents either." Vivli pointed out as the three adventurers ran towards the source of the smoke.

_Stupid warriors, _Vivli thought to herself, _thinking I can't take care of myself. _She grunted as she tried to pull one of the tent pegs out of the ground. _Not like I'm that weak or anything, _sadly this thought occurred just as she failed to remove the tent peg. She tried to move pull it out again, but couldn't. _Okay, so maybe I am, but that's not the point. _Vivli had a habit of arguing with herself in her thoughts. She bent down on the ground, managed to pull the rope away from the tent peg, and then stomped the tent peg into the ground so nobody would see it. She decided she'd just pretend she had lost it when she packed the tent away. She didn't need to give Bootus anymore fuel to make fun of her with. _The point is I'm a white mage, I'm not supposed to fight. I'm supposed to heal. But to them, that means I'm useless._

Of course, this wasn't the case. Zinkata actually felt a little guilty about leaving Vivli behind.

"Do you think we should have left her back there?" The warrior inquired.

"I'm not sure." For a moment Bootus sounded genuine. "That tent might prove challenging for her. Not convinced she can handle it." But then it turned out he wasn't.

"You know what I mean. She is a white mage after all, not a fighter." Zinkata explained.

"Since when were you the master of morals Mr Thief?" Voldos asked.

"I dunno. Just felt a little guilty." Zinkata sighed.

"Sheesh, you only left her behind because you were worried she'd get hurt." Voldos pointed out. "Now you're worried about leaving her behind because she might _feel _hurt. You just can't win with some people."

"Vivli being one of them." Bootus interjected.

"You win all the time!" Voldos told the galka.  
"Yeah, but only because she has a short temper." Bootus paused. "And she's not very intelligent."

"So, in fact, because she loses the arguments?" Voldos figured.

"Pretty much, yeah." Bootus confirmed.

"I think we lost the point." Zinkata muttered.

Vivli finished stuffing every last pot and pan into the large bag in which they kept their camping equipment. She then stopped, and let out a loud sigh as she realised she hadn't eaten anything and just packed away all the cooking equipment (and the food). There was a moment of consideration, and she decided she'd rather go hungry than unpack everything again. The smoke in the distance was fading now. She had no idea what the others were up to, but she was sure it was more fun than she was having. _Whoa, when did I start thinking about fighting and adventuring as fun? _She was surprised by her own thoughts. She sighed and decided to go and find the others. She bent over the huge bag and attempted to lift it. _Damn, this thing is heavy _she thought as she failed to move it. _How does Bootus carry it around all the time? _Bootus had a habit of being their pack mule, hauling anything they needed around due to his size and strength. Apparently they had forgotten Vivli was about a quarter of the size of him. She sighed and sat down on the bag, waiting for the others to return. Somebody grabbed her violently from behind.

"Well," Zinkata began as he surveyed the campsite. "Looks like another smash and grab." There were the burnt remains of a tent, and a few random pieces of junk scattered around. The rest had clearly been stolen.

"How did somebody manage to pull off that off here?" Bootus asked. "I mean, the only people who camp out here are adventurers."

"Occasionally somebody camps on their own. Can't defend against the whole group." Zinkata explained. "It happens."

"Why do I doubt you know that out of general knowledge?" Voldos asked. Zinkata ignored him.  
"Well, if an adventurer is sitting out here on their own, they deserve to get in trouble." Bootus decided. Voldos and Zinkata exchanged a glance.

"Uh oh."

Vivli struggled uselessly. Someone had come up behind her, and grabbed her, literally pinning her arms to her body and holding her so she couldn't move. She tried to run away, but she was held back. A familiar looking bandit group emerged. She counted three, before promptly remembering there was a fourth holding her.

"Heh. She looks familiar." One commented. All four bandits were human (well three, and one had humanish hands), fairly largely built, and pretty ugly.

"Oh, she was with those adventurers that shot you!" A second laughed to the one holding her. She looked up over her neck to see an angry bald man scowling down on her.

"I-i-it wasn't me." She muttered, shaking. The bald man held her tight, so she couldn't move.

"She doesn't look right." The third said, checking over Vivli carefully. "Hair's too short. Eye's are blue, not green. Can't be here."

"And she's on her own. Where's the male?" The second pointed out.

"Yeah, yeah." The first sighed. "Dammit, how many mithra are there?"

"In the world, boss?" The second said with a smirk. "Quite a few."

"She's quite cute though." The first decided, taking a closer look at Vivli. Vivli trembled. Those were not words you wanted to hear while being captured by a band of bandits. "Might keep her around anyway."

"She's a nice prisoner." The fourth said suddenly. "Doesn't struggle like the others. Most of the mithra we find are irritatingly strong warriors, or ridiculously fast thieves. This one's easy to keep down." Vivli struggled desperately to move.

"Don't think she's an adventurer." The first was now worryingly close to Vivli. He put his hand on her cheek and ran it down her face. Vivli squirmed. "Her skin's too smooth. Not weathered at all. She hasn't seen any real action, that's for sure." Vivli was too scared to make a witty remark about Chaos. Suddenly the bandit leapt forward and kissed her. Not only did this catch her off guard, but she was unable to break away. She squirmed furiously until the rogue broke it off. Vivli trembled in fear.

"Wow, we leave you alone for five minutes and you're already hitting on some guy." Bootus remarked. "Or four."

The three rogues quickly split off to face the heroes. The fourth, nice and thoughtfully, stayed holding Vivli back. She thought that was very considerate of him. In a sarcastic tone of voice of course.

"Heh." Voldos smirked. "This is familiar." One rogue drew a sword, and put it to Vivli's neck. She gulped in fear.  
"Except this time we have the advantage." The rogue beamed a smile. "Drop your weapons. Now. Or we kill the girl."

"Original." Vivli worked up the courage to grumble. Voldos and Zinkata slowly placed their weapons on the ground. Bootus still gripped his claws. Vivli, Voldos, and Zinkata stared at him.

"Oh, I was just-" They continued to stare. "I mean it's only-" He paused. "Oh, fine." He dropped them.

"Okay," The apparent bandit leader said. "Kill them."  
"No!" Vivli cried, struggling. The two bandits advanced on the three heroes, drawing their swords. Bootus dove at the closest, knocking his sword away with his mighty arms and pounding the bandit in the face. The two warriors jumped back as the other bandit slashed at them, and then split directions. Bootus lifted up the bandit he had punched, and hurled him into the second one. Zinkata and Voldos dove for their swords, grabbing them, and holding them to the bandits on the floor.

"Looks like we're at a stalemate." Zinkata taunted.

The bandit leader stared at the two on the floor, and then pulled his sword back to Vivli's throat.

"I'm willing to bet you care more about her dieing than you do about the two on the floor." The bandit smirked.

"That's a bluff." Vivli spat. The cold metal blade was pushed hard against her neck.

"Wanna bet?" The bandit leader snarled to her face. He gave her a peck on the lips before turning away, much to her disgust.

"Please can you kill this man?" Vivli begged.

"Gladly!" An untraceable voice cried, and something jumped down, tackling the bandit leader before he could move. Voldos and Zinkata quickly sprang into action, taking out the two bandits on the floor. Vivli was thrown to the ground as the fourth member drew a mighty broadsword. He thrust it down through the figure on the ground. He let out a cry. He then began to advance on Voldos and Zinkata. He swung the sword, and Voldos blocked it. A sword penetrated the man from the back, and he dropped down dead. The figure who had been stabbed stood there. He wore a beaten brown jacket and brown trousers, with long uncut hair. His chest was stained with blood, but the wound appeared closed. It was Captain Olose Sampson.

"Olose?" Vivli screamed overjoyed, throwing herself into his arms. He laughed and put her down.

"Whoa. Pleased to see you guys. How's it been going?" Olose asked.

"Pretty well thanks." Zinkata told him. "Saved the world. Usual stuff." They had run into Olose back in Norg when they needed to charter a ship to some unexplored islands in search of the crystal shards.

"Are you okay?" Vivli asked, surveying the wound in Olose's chest.

"Fine. Fine." He told her. Vivli looked curiously at it. She seemed a little on edge. It looked fully healed. _That's impossible_ she thought to herself.

"What are you doing out here?" Zinkata asked.

"Well, you've heard about the war that was held over at the Temple of Uggalepih, right?" He inquired.

"You could say that." Voldos said sarcastically.

"Well, after that there was a shortage of airship pilots. I'd had a bit of experienced so got recruited. While in Kazham one day, the Chieftess told me about these rogues that were hunting mithra. Sounded like the kind of thing I should be checking out, so I did."

"You can fly an airship _and _know the chieftess?" Bootus sounded quite sceptical. "What kind of guy are you?"

"I get around." Olose admitted. "It seems they're looking for someone. Or to be exact, some two. A male and female mithra."

"Ha." Vivli laughed. "Good luck. I've been looking for male mithra for ages. There aren't any around." The others stared at her. She suddenly realised what she said.

"I meant out of curiosity!" She cried. "To see if any were living on the mainland!"

"Suuuure you were." Bootus laughed sarcastically. Vivli grumbled something under her breath.

Zinkata walked over to Olose.

"We were headed to Kazham anyway." He told the sea captain. "Maybe we could work together to solve this mystery."

"Well, we're better off tracking down whoever hired these bandits for that, because this isn't the only band raiding the area." Olose explained.

"They're looking for someone." Vivli told the group, subconsciously wiping her lips from the memory of the bandit. "We need to find out who before we act."

"Kazham seems a good place to start to find that out, at least." Voldos input.

"You know, I thought I put adventuring behind me when I became a smuggler." He paused.

"You're not supposed to admit you're a smuggler!" Vivli cried.

"Hey, when you've been around as long as I have you can get away with that." Olose told her. Vivli stopped walking and dropped into thought. _Around as long as I have? What does that mean? He looks about thirty._

Dedji walked out, overlooking Windurst from the inn's balcony. _Vivli? Had they really called her Vivli? They couldn't have. There were four as well. But how could they have been them? They weren't really that charismatic. Not for Light Warriors. _She sighed. The way she figured it Vivli didn't know where they were any better than Dedji did. But she was a little surprised. She thought she'd of recognised her sister through more than just name.


	3. III

**Author's Note: I was asked what server we're on, so if you're interested, it's Hades. Give us a /tell if you're on there. We're on often enough.**

**PART III**

Jeuno had changed very little since their last visit. The skies were slightly emptier, most airships were now pieces of rubble scattered around the Temple of Uggalepih. In turn, the streets were more crowded as the wait for ships was longer.

"I'd of thought it would have looked more different." Vivli commented.

"We only finished our quest two months ago." Zinkata replied. "A city as big as this stays the same for decades."

"We finished our quest a million years ago, actually." Vivli said with a smirk.

"Does that mean you're all technically a million years old?" Olose asked, laughing. _Wow, they're even older than I am _his silent thoughts said.

"I'm not even in my twenties yet!" Vivli cried. "I'm not old!" Olose laughed at this.

"Not even in your twenties but was around a million years ago?" He pondered.

"I hate time travel." Bootus grumbled.

"Well, let's just vow to stay in our own timeline from now on, shall we?" Zinkata suggested. The others nodded.

The five walked to the airship dock. A young blonde hume smiled sweetly.

"I'm sorry, but we're sold out for the rest of the day." She told them. "With the lack of airships recently, we can't meet demands as effectively." She smiled again. "You can book now for 500 gil for tickets to Kazham for the morning though."

"500 gil?" Zinkata repeated. "I thought it was cheaper than that."

"They've increased the price." Olose explained. "To compensate for the recovery. The extra money goes to rebuilding the airship fleet and training new pilots. Why do you think they hired me?"

"Yeah, I forgot about the losses." Vivli admitted. "It's easy to forget all who have died when you finally win." There was a long period of silence while they reflected on this.

"So, baby, since there are no more tickets, why don't you say you and me go off and grab a bite to eat?" Voldos asked the ticket girl. "Afterwards I can think of a few other things we can do." Vivli started subconsciously counting in her head, blocking out her surroundings. _1, 2, 3, 4, 5, _**SLAP!**

"Five seconds." She said with a smile. "That might be a new record."

"Very funny." Voldos said, rubbing his cheek.

"Guess we need to check into an inn." Olose suggested. "I know the inn keeper around here, should be able to get us in cheap."

"Why am I not surprised?" Zinkata asked rhetorically.

The moon hung in the sky. It was almost full. Vivli watched it from the tiny balcony of the inn. She remembered the last time they came to Jeuno. Last time they came they were a five also. They had teamed up with the dark knight Garland. That had gone spectacularly wrong. He had revealed himself as Chaos, and almost killed her. She shivered.

"What's up?" Olose asked, walking out onto the balcony.

"Just remembering some stuff." She replied, turning around. Her eyes lit up as the moon shone on them. They looked as if they were glowing light blue.

"I can't decide if that's really beautiful or really creepy." He told her.

"Most people lean towards creepy." She replied. Olose let out a laugh. "So, you gonna explain to me how you healed that wound?" She asked, deciding it was time to confront him.

"No." He answered against her expectations. Vivli was a little surprised. She hadn't expected that.

"I love the full moon." She said, looking back up at it.

"It's not full." Olose smirked. "Not yet. A day or so before it, I think."

"You're an expect on moon phases as well?" Vivli asked.

"Naturally." Smiled Olose. "That reminds me." He began, turning to face her. "I have to leave tomorrow evening."

"How come?" Vivli sounded a little disappointed.

"Got a call on my linkshell. Something odd's happening over in San D'Oria. Thought I'd check it out. You legendary heroes can handle this end of things." Vivli smiled at finally hearing someone recognise them as heroes.

"You'll come back though, won't you?" She quickly asked him. Olose smirked a little to himself. _Oh yeah, she likes me_

"Ahem." He said to take himself away from these thoughts. "Yeah. I'll be back. Should only be gone three days. I travel fast."

"How you gonna get back if you take the airship to Kazham?" Vivli pondered.

"Should be able to get on. Sure they'll let me. I know one of the ticket girls over in Kazham, she can-"

"You _know _her, do you?" Vivli sounded a little angry, and a little disappointed. She hid both worse than she thought she did.

"I know someone everywhere." Olose smiled. "It's handy in my line of work."

"Which is?" She asked.

"Doing whatever you can to make money." He answered with a laugh.

A little confused, Vivli walked back in off the balcony.

"So, you two going out or what?" Bootus asked.

"What?" Vivli repeated, blushing a little but not enough to be noticed.

"Everyone knows when a girl and guy meet on a balcony under a full moon it can only mean one thing." The galka explained.

"Well, I'll have you know it's not quite full." She taunted, before remembering what Olose had told her. "Oh yeah, he's heading out tomorrow. Some problem over in San D'Oria." She told the mighty monk.

"Right, fed up with ya, gotcha." Bootus laughed at his own humour as Vivli hit him angrily on the arm. The fact that Bootus didn't even feel this made him laugh more.

"Oh, screw this." She sighed. "I'm going to get some food."

"I'm sure Olose'll take you out for dinner." He taunted again. His jokes weren't exactly consistent, but they worked in angering Vivli so he was pleased. Vivli grumbled to herself and marched out of the door.

Voldos and Zinkata were sat outside in the street.

"Okay," Voldos said, "100 gil says I can pull any chick you pick."

"Deal. Pay me." Zinkata quickly agreed.

"What?" Voldos cried. "We haven't done it yet."

"Yeah, but I've never seen you pull one chick, so there's no point in going through with it." Zinkata smirked.

"You're just saying that because you know you'll lose." Voldos shot back. "So, pick one."

"Look, I'm not going to inflict you on some poor gi-" He stopped as he saw someone walking through the street. A bright smile crossed his face.

"Oh no." Voldos said bluntly. "You can't! That's not fair!"

"You said any girl." He smiled.

Vivli spotted Voldos and Zinkata sat at a table. She walked over and joined them.

"Hey, can we buy food here?" She asked.

"Not now, Viv." Zinkata told her. "Voldos has something he wants to say to you." Voldos just remained silent, and banged his head on the table. He pulled out 100 gil, and passed it to Zinkata.

"I can guess what that was about, and I'm not convinced I shouldn't be terribly offended." Vivli told them sarcastically. "However, if I'm right, I technically helped you win that 100 gil." She pointed out. "Therefore, I think you should split it 50:50 and let me go buy food with it." Zinkata laughed.

"No chance." He taunted.

"Hey, need I remind you that you still owe me for that money you stole." It had been how they first met. Not the best meeting.

"Actually, I had forgotten about that." Zinkata admitted. "At least, it hadn't crossed my mind. Fine. Here's 50 gil. Spend it on healthy food and I'll be disappointed."

They watched her disappear into the restaurant they were sat outside of.  
"Okay, that was unfair." Whined Voldos.

"You should have been more careful." Zinkata advised. "Hell, I could give up adventuring today and make a living off stupid people if everybody was like you." Voldos paused, contemplating this.

"HEY!" He suddenly protested. "That's an insult!"

"Voldos, you genius!" Zinkata cried sarcastically.

Bootus was sat on the highly inappropriately sized bed he had in his room in the inn. It creaked under his bulk. _A bloody tarutaru wouldn't fit on this thing _he thought to himself. Olose had walked in off the balcony, and jumped onto a chair in a ridiculously over the top style.

"So why are you headed to San D'Oria?" Bootus asked.

"Apparently someone or something wiped out the orc camp there. The elvaan authorities didn't know anything about it so they're confused."

"They're elvaan. Of course they're confused." Bootus said laughing.

"How something hasn't killed you by now out of rage I don't know." Olose remarked.

"Hey, Chaos tried and failed. I figure nobody else can if he can't." Bootus explained.

"Ha. So you're immortal?" Olose laughed aloud at this, which confused Bootus a little.

"I figure living forever wouldn't be that great." Bootus admitted.

"It's not as bad as people make out." Olose told him. The galka shot him a strange look.

Bootus awoke as he heard a thud. He sat up in the tiny bed.

"Ow." Groaned Vivli from the floor.

"Did it again?" The galka remarked.

"I want a double bed." She moaned from the ground. "There'd be room to roll then."  
"That was quite a loud thud, must have put on weight." Bootus taunted. "You're getting fat." Vivli sat up.

"Oh no, I'm not getting into another argument this early." She warned. "I'm smarter than that."

"You? Smart?" Bootus let out a loud laugh. Vivli grumbled. She now remembered why she usually insisted on having her own room. Unfortunately, this time it hadn't been possible.

Olose sat up, his long hair looking exceptionally messy. It was one of the things that always mystified Vivli. You could go to sleep, not move, and when you woke up your hair was all over the place. Like some cosmic force moves it around while you sleep.

"I swear nights are getting shorter." He groaned wearingly. "I feel like I only just went to sleep."

"You and Vivli were at it that long where you?" Bootus asked with a broad smirk. Olose burst out laughing. Vivli did not.

"_BOOTUS!" She cried as loudly as her voice let her. "That's not funny!"_

"That reaction was priceless." He giggled. Olose laughed, before looking over at Vivli. He smiled to himself. _That's one hell of an age difference _he thought, referring to their respective ages.

"Just because we happened to talk on a balcony doesn't mean we're lovers!" Vivli yelled, angrily marching over to the galka. Bootus continued to laugh to himself. Whenever Vivli got angry, it just made it funnier to him. "Oh, take this!" She grumbled, casting silence on the galka. Bootus hated it when she did that.

Bootus regained his ability to talk on the airship, but Vivli refused to talk to him. She wondered up on deck and watched as the land rolled by. In the mean time, the galka began to formulate a mighty plan in his brain. He went into the main hold (which was of a very fancy design) and made a simple request.

"Don't suppose there are any white mages here?" He asked. A male elvaan wondered up to him.

"Yeah, I can cast white magic. Why?" He asked the galka.

"There's a spell I need you to cast on me." Bootus explained.

Vivli was feeling slightly sick from watching the ground roll by from so high. The airship wasn't exactly smooth anyway. Bootus wondered up behind her.

"So, you professed your love for Olose yet?" He asked. She turned away silently, determined not to get into an argument. "Oh come on, I know you love him really." She crossed her arms in frustration. "Doubt he's into little girls like you though. Probably likes girls who can take care of themselves. Not pathetically weak, ya know?"

"SHUT UP!" Vivli snapped. "Right! That's it!" She started casting silence again. "You asked for this!" She cast it, but it bounced off a red shield and cast back onto her. She quickly mouthed something, but no words came out.

"A friendly white mage cast reflect on me." Bootus beamed. "Now that should shut you up." Vivli screamed silently. Bootus chuckled and walked away. Vivli shouted something after him, but no words came out. She cursed, but of course, nobody could hear.

"We'll be touching down in Kazham shortly!" Announced the pilot.  
"Hey, that almost sounds like-" Voldos began.

"Oh no." Zinkata blankly muttered. "It can't be." He seemed scared. They three ran out onto the deck to see their pilot. "It is! It's Crazy Steve!" Crazy Steve was captain of the ship from Seblina to Mhaura and back, and when the ship was nearly destroyed in battle, he failed to notice. He was never that observant, and so the Light Warriors didn't exactly trust him to operate vehicles. Let alone an airship.

"I'm scared." Voldos admitted.

"Me too." Zinkata gulped.

"Hold me." Bootus whimpered. Vivli mouthed something at them, but they couldn't hear what.

Despite the pilot, the ship touched down safely in Kazham, with a bit of a thud. The five adventurers filed off the ship along with the rest of the passengers. One by one they were permitted entry to Kazham.

"You going into Kazham?" The mithra behind the desk asked Vivli. Vivl tried to reply, but couldn't. "Sorry miss, but you'rrrrrrre going to have to answerrrrrrr me." Vivli mouthed furiously, before silently sighing. She nodded. "Is that a yes?" She nodded again. Bootus was in hysterics. Vivli stormed through unhappily.

"So, what did you learn?" Bootus asked Vivli. She began to mouth something.

"-ly hate you." Came out as her own spell wore off. Bootus laughed.

"Come on!" Zinkata told them. "Stop bickering! We have a job to get done!" The five wondered off into the jungle paradise as Voldos eyed up everything with a tail and breasts in the area.


	4. IV

**PART IV**

The five heroes walked through the quiet town of Kazham.

"Wow. It is nice here." Zinkata commented.

"Yeah." Vivli sighed. Voldos was lagging behind them. "Hey! Keep up!" She cried. "Stop staring at every girl we pass!"

"It's the only reason I'm here." The elvaan protested. A mithra wondered past them, taking a double take at the five, looking over the new comers. "Did you see that?" Voldos cried. "She was checking me out! I'll be right back!" The elvaan disappeared, running after her. Vivli sighed.

"So, what's the plan Viv?" Zinkata asked.

"I figured we'd go talk to the chieftainess. She'd know if my parents are from around here." Vivli explained. Olose laughed nervously.

"That might not be such a good idea." Olose told her.  
"What? Why?" Vivli snapped.

"The mithra around here-" He stopped, trying to think of the right way to explain it. "They aren't that fond of mainland mithra."

"So? If I'm right, I came from here anyway." Vivli pointed out.

"They hate mithra that left even more." Olose explained.

"Well, it was hardly my fault." Vivli shrugged. "I got kidnapped when I was a baby!" She paused. "I'm sure they'll be reasonable." Olose let out a heavy sigh.

The four (since they were now minus Voldos) arrived, after asking for some directions, at the Chieftainess's hut. Two mithran guards simply crossed their spears, blocking entrance. They said nothing.

"Excuse me?" Vivli asked softly. "I need to speak to the chieftainess."

"Aw, isn't it cute? The little city mithrrrrra talks." One guard laughed to another.

"Let's just get rrrrrid of her." The second said, pushing Vivli back with one hand. Vivli fell to the floor with a thud.

"Ow." She whined.

"I like these guards." Bootus remarked. Olose turned to the guards.

"Come on, ladies, let her through." He said to them.

"Olose Sampson." One purred. "You'rrrre back."

"That I am. Vivli here is a friend. She wants to see the chieftainess. She's searching for her parents. Seems they came from here. Not that hard to let her through, is it?" He set out the case in the hope it would make the guards yield.

"I guess not." The guard muttered, pulling back her spear. "You can go thrrrrough." Olose turned around, giving Vivli a hand to her feet.

"Urm. Thanks." She muttered shyly.

"I don't think you're going to be thanking me." Olose warned. Vivli gave him a confused look and walked on in.

More mithra scowled at her, clearly failing to recognise her and therefore knowing she was from the mainland. She gulped and walked up to the chieftainess, a tall mithra with an impressive looking headpiece.

"Urm, excuse me?" She said, nervous. She was very put off by the stares of the others. They pretty much ignored Bootus, Zinkata and Olose.

"What do you want?" The chieftainess snapped.

"My name's Vivli-" Vivli began.

"I didn't ask yourrrrrrr name. I asked what you wanted." Came the angry interruption.

"Well, the thing is, I think I was born here." Vivli explained. "But I don't know who my parents were."

"You left, it was yourrrr decision." The chieftainess sounded very impatient.

"I didn't choose!" Vivli cried in desperation. "I was kidnapped as a child."

"Hm. Vivli?" The chieftainess pondered. "I will not assist you, unless you prove you are a citizen of Kazham."

"How can I do that?" Vivli asked.  
"Here it comes." Sighed Olose.

"We do have a trial for cases of people who wish to rejoin. Trials to test them as a mithran huntress." Vivli gulped.

"What does this entail?" She asked nervously.

"Intelligence is an import aspect." The Chieftainess told the little mithra. "That is one stage."

"That I can do." Vivli whimpered, getting more nervous.

"The second is courage." The next came out.

"I should be able to handle that." She gulped, knowing she wasn't exactly courageous.

"The third is strength."

"Uh oh."

Bootus pounded forwards, pushing Vivli aside. For one misguided moment, she thought he was going to defend her.

"Can I watch?" Bootus begged. "Please? This may be the funniest thing to see in the world!" The mithra Chieftainess chuckled.

"Of courrrrse." She said. "The trial takes place within a large cave. A walkway has been constructed overhead so we may watch the participant. Your job is simple. You must enter the cave, and pass through three rooms. At the end of reach room, there is a door which you must discover how to open, which will test one of the chosen aspects." Vivli nervously squirmed.

"Maybe we should just ask around." She whimpered.

"Told you you wouldn't like it." Olose said with a sigh.  
"If you are not woman enough to take the test, back down." The chieftainess told her. "And never show yourrrrr face around these parrrrrts again." Vivli cursed to herself.

They were led by a small group of mithra guards (and the chieftainess of course) to a small dark cave. Vivli cursed again.

"I hate caves." She grumbled.

"Aw, she's scarrrred." One of the guards mocked.

"Little city girl can't live up to ourrrr challenge." Another said.

"Ha. Knew those mainland mithrrrra werrrre no match for us." Yet another purred.

"Oh, shut up!" Vivli cried, turning around to them all.

"Prrroceed." Ordered the chieftainess. Vivli took a deep breath and stepped in. "Follow me." She said as she turned to the others. "I'll take you to the balcony overrrrlooking the trial."

Zinkata leant against the bamboo railing, looking down into the cave.

"This seems an impressive construction for such a rarely used thing." Zinkata remarked.

"Oh, we use it to trrrrrrrrain our troops." The chieftainess explained. "This is just a side feature. A lot of the technology for the mechanical doors we had galka from Bastok help us with."

"Yeah, we are pretty great." Bootus remarked with a smile.

The cave within was sufficiently lighted, which Vivli was glad of. She wasn't too good when it came to the dark. The stone room was empty apart from multiple levers. The door had a triangle, a square and a circle over it. She walked up to the door. It was rusty metal, and wouldn't open. She walked back, and pulled a lever. The square moved around like a casino slot machine to a star. The circle moved to a square. She paused in confusion, and then looked up. On the ceiling was a triangle, a star and a circle. She guessed she had to pull the right sequence of levers to match the images above the door with the ones on the ceiling.

Zinkata turned away from the puzzle below, and looked along the walkway. The walkway disappeared into a small alcove in the wall the door Vivli had to get through was in. On the other side was blackness.

"What's through there?" The warrior asked.

"Courrrrage." Answered the chieftainess. "A bit of a weak challenge really, most people pass it easily."

"How come?" Bootus asked, sounding a bit disappointed.

"We just used stereotypical fears. A darrrrrkened room full of spiderrrrrrs. But most people arrrrren't scarrrrred by things like that so it doesn't actually worrrrrk. We've been considerrrring rrrrreplacing it." The chieftainess explained. Zinkata and Bootus glanced to each other.

"I think she's going to have some problems."

The door opened for Vivli finally, after she had finally figured out the right combination. She walked into the darkness, her entire body tensed. She could feel something crawling around her feet.  
"To open the doorrrr, find the button on the floor that opens it." The chieftainess called down. Vivli cautiously bent down and put her hands on the floor, feeling the spiders. She screamed and reeled back. She turned to run out of the room in fear, but the metal door crashed down. "You cannot show courrrrrage if you run away." The voice from above came. Vivli panicked, not thinking through her fear logically. She ran through the darkness, and tripped, feeling the tiny creatures climbing all over her. She screamed again, pulling off her robe and flinging it on the floor (luckily she was wearing something underneath). She stumbled back, falling over again. This time she heard a click and the door at the end opened. She bolted for it, and dove out of it, screaming and trying desperately to get spiders off of her.

"Hey! Viv!" Bootus called down from above. "You've got one in your hair."

"ARGH! GET IT OUT! GET IT OUT!" She started to scream, trying desperately to get rid of it. Bootus roared in laughter.

"This is the most entertaining thing ever." He beamed.

"Shame she made it by pot luck." Growled the chieftainess.

Vivli surveyed the room she was in now. There were two pedestals. On one, there was what appeared to be a fairly large weight. On the other, there was a pressure pad. It was obvious what she had to do, carry the weight to the pressure pad. The four observers above strolled in.

"This one is too easy also." The chieftainess told Bootus, Zinkata and Olose. "The weight is too light to really test strength. It has to accommodate for soldiers in training."

"Why don't you just get different weights for each trial?" Zinkata suggested.

"Good idea." Remarked the chieftainess.

"Don't suggest ways to make this harder!" Vivli called from the bottom of the cave. She grabbed hold of the weight, and tried to lift it. "Sweet Chaos, this thing's heavy!" She remarked. She heard a laugh from above. "Bootus! Shut up!" She cried.

Vivli tried to lift the weight, but in the end her hands slipped from it and she fell over backwards. She sprang to her feet, and pondered her predicament. She was struck by an idea, and pushed the weight with all of her effort. It slid, and fell off the pedestal, crashing down with a loud thud. She then proceeded to try and drag it across the rough ground, but failed. She went back to trying to lift it, but failed at this as well. It was far too heavy for her small frame.

"I thought you said it was light." Olose remarked.

"It is." Replied the chieftainess.

"She is exceptionally weak." Bootus pointed out.

"I heard that!" Vivli snapped from the ground. "Don't make me come up there!" Vivli stopped to ponder. _ Come up there? All I have to do is reach the end. She never said through the doors. _She suddenly clicked her fingers in an idea. She went to take her staff off of her belt, before remembering her belt was on her robe that was back in the previous room. She stared into the darkness, and took a deep breath, running in, screaming in fear.

She dove to the floor, feeling around for the robe, screaming in horror all the time. She sprinted back out, panting, carrying her spider covered robe. She unclipped the belt (with her staff connected) and threw the robe to the ground, stomping on it.

"Now you really do have one in your hair." Bootus cried down.

"I'm not falling for that!" Vivli yelled back, putting her hand up to her head, and feeling a big spider. She shrieked, pulling it out. She took a couple of deep breaths to try and reassure herself, before putting her belt on and unclipping the staff. She could still feel spiders crawling over her skin, even though they were gone. She held onto the paddle, and swung it, throwing it upwards. It wrapped around the bamboo railing, leaving the rope she had attached it to her belt with hanging down. She smiled, and began to climb up.

This wasn't as easy as she thought it would be, but after a few attempts she made it.

"You can't do that!" The chieftainess called as she casually walked along the walkway. "That's cheating!"

"You said I had to reach the end, and that's all." She walked into the final room with a smile.

Back in the hut, Vivli stood proudly before the chieftainess.

"You did it in an unorrrrthodox way, but you made it." She told the white mage.

"Can you tell me what happened to my parents now?" Vivli asked.

"I will try to find out." The chieftainess promised. "In the meantime, I suggest you rest."

"I have to go." Olose told her.  
"Come back, right?" Vivli said for confirmation.

"Ha. I will." Olose smiled and walked away.

"Come on!" Bootus snapped. "Let's go." He was clearly not happy that Vivli had passed the test.

"You may want to wash first." The chieftainess suggested with a smile. "I can see a large spider on your back." Vivli screamed in absolute terror, and the entire room fell into laughter.

She was unimpressed.


	5. V

**PART V**

Vivli hadn't been able to sleep that night, mainly because she kept having the image of spiders crawling all over her. She wondered out into the town, and down to the docks. The full moon glowed in the air, reflecting gently on the water. _Wow, Olose was right, _she remarked in her thoughts as she surveyed the moon. It was a beautiful site. _Shame he's not hear to share it with me. _Suddenly she felt very embarrassed, despite the fact she only thought that. _Stupid Bootus, making me think romantic things, _she mentally grumbled. She hadn't even thought about Olose in that way before, but now Bootus had mentioned it, it was all that came up when she thought about him. _That galka's to blame for everything. _

The only romance their quest had ever shown originated from Voldos and his stupidity. This reminded her he had been missing ever since he wondered off earlier that day. She sighed, looking up at the moon. She must be the only girl who went on an epic quest to save the world and stayed single. What happened to all the fairy tales where the beautiful girl would end up with some great hero? She pondered her choices, and then understood why. Zinkata? Voldos? Bootus? She laughed to herself as she mocked them in her head. Not the kind of thing she'd ever say to them (except to Bootus), which is why she enjoyed the fact she could get time to think to herself at times like these.

Of course, she felt immediately guilty about these thoughts afterwards. After all, these were the guys who had saved her life more times than she could count. She owed everything she had, and some things she didn't have, to them. It was easy to forget that among all the bickering and arguing.

An airship approached the dock, flying down in front of the large full moon. Now _that _was a sight. She wished to herself somebody was around to paint it so she could keep it with her. It was at this point she decided that thoughts like that were a signal she was getting ridiculously tired, and turned around to find the inn and go to sleep.

She startled awake with a scream, her heart pounding in her chest. She had been dreaming of being covered in spiders, just before a gigantic one came down to eat her. Her reaction was understandable. She looked around the small room in fear for a moment, before being glad she had managed to get a private room so there was a minimal of mocking. Until she heard Bootus thundering on the door. She sighed.

He threw the door open (locks didn't do much when it came to galkas) and marched in.

"I heard you scream." He explained. "What's the matter? You have a bad dream again?" The patronising tone in his voice was unmistakable. It definitely wasn't concern.

"Shut up." She got up. "What's the point in having privacy if you just barge in anyway?"

"I'd never pass up a good opportunity to mock you." He replied, smirking.

"Where are the others?" She sighed.

"Zinkata's downstairs. Ain't seen Voldos." Bootus told her.

"Where did he get to? He can't have actually…" She trailed off, looking for the appropriate word, "…got friendly with a mithra, could he?" She finally finished. Having been brought up in a monastery, she had been taught _not _to say things like that explicitly, so she usually ended up saying things along those lines.

"Voldos? Not in a million years." Bootus grumbled. "Probably got himself into trouble."

"Hey, that's my job!" Vivli protested sarcastically.

"Yeah, but I bet he can take care of himself." Even when Vivli mocked herself Bootus could still make some comment to upset her.

"I can take care of myself!" She gave in response. Bootus burst into laughter, laughing harder just to irritate the white mage. "Oh, shut up." She sighed. "We had better grab some food, and then go see the chieftainess."

"For somebody so small, you're awfully obsessed with food." Bootus remarked.

"Yes. Fancy eating. What was I thinking?" It was times when Vivli was that sarcastic that she considered she had been around Bootus too long.

It seemed to Zinkata that the heroes had forgotten their secondary reason to be in Kazham. They hadn't asked about the abductions at all and had no evidence to go on. He didn't want to interfere with Vivli's own quest however, he knew it was important to her. He had never known his parents himself, and knew he would never pass up on a chance to find them, so neither should Vivli.

He had noticed she had been unusually energetic that morning. She was clearly very excited about the prospect of discovering who she truly was. Zinkata walked over to her, and placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her down.

"Viv, you do realise this is a long shot?" He said as tactfully as he could. "They might not find anything, you realise this?" Vivli suddenly stopped, looking a little upset. Zinkata felt quite guilty. "I don't mean to ruin it, but don't get your hopes up too high."

"I know." Vivli sighed. "It's just-"

"Yeah, I understand." Zinkata said before she could finish.

"See, if you were born a galka, you wouldn't have this whole 'parent' problem." Bootus laughed.

"Yeah, but apparently I'd also be rude and obnoxious." Vivli replied.

"You're that anyway." Bootus taunted.

"I am not!" She screamed, and Bootus burst into laughter, getting the exact response he had been expecting.

A mithra guard marched up to the three as they sat around a small table, enjoying what they could find for breakfast. Vivli was enjoying her food (mainly because it was all tailored for mithra), so was a little disappointed about this.

"Vivli?" Inquired the guard. "The chieftainess has requested yourrrrr prrrrrresence. She has some imporrrrtant news." Vivli jumped up with excitement, forgetting her breakfast completely. Bootus however, did not.

"Can't we finish eating first?" The galka grumbled.

"Come on!" Vivli cried with a beaming smile, and ran off. Bootus picked up his plate, and followed, eating along the way. Zinkata sighed and got up, walking after them.

Vivli's exitement was replaced by humiliation as she heard the guards sniggering about her. Apparently the story of what had happened at the trials the previous day had spread, and a lot of mithra found it very amusing. She sighed and walked on in to the chieftainess's hut. Bootus and Zinkata followed. This time nobody attempted to stop them.

"Vivli." The chieftainess stated. "It was not easy finding out who you werrrrrre. You don't even have a surname for us to track."

"That wasn't my fault." Vivli said, before realising the chieftainess had set 'it was not' meaning they had found out. "Wait?" She cried. "You mean you know?"

"It is possible, but we arrrrre not cerrrrrrrrtain." The chieftainess told her. "You see, you don't seem to have an arrrrrtefact that would confirrrrrm our suspicions."

"Is this artefact a shard of crystal, by any chance?" Zinkata asked.

"Yes. Yes it is." The answer came. "How did you know?"

"Because we used to have four." Zinkata answered. "They shattered, a million years in the past." The chieftainess gasped.

"Then it is true. You are the Light Warriors." The chieftainess seemed amazed. "Where is the fourth?"

"He's around." Zinkata laughed.

"So what does that tell you about me?" Vivli asked.

"Urm. It's not easy to say, so I'll just come rrrright out and say it." The chieftainess paused. "If I'm corrrrrrrect, you are our princess."

Bootus roared with laughter and Vivli froze. She didn't have a reaction. She had been prepared for pretty much anything, but not that. She simply didn't have a way to react, her brain couldn't find one.

"That explains so much." Bootus said, wiping away tears of laughter.

"I don't underrrstand." The chieftainess sounded confused.

"Why she's always getting in trouble!" Bootus explained. "If stories taught us anything, it's that all princesses do are get in trouble."

"Hey!" Vivli snapped back to her senses. "They're trained to rule the kingdom as well!"

"That's a point." Zinkata decided to bring some logic to the conversation. "This isn't a kingdom. How can she be a princess?"

"Mithra royalty disbanded almost three hundred years ago." Vivli explained. "I know my history."

"Not well enough, it seems." The chieftainess took over. "The royalty did not disband as such continue in secret. They had no real power, but held onto two sacred artefacts."

"The crystal shard." Zinkata guessed.

"That was one, yes. That is why rrrrroyalty continued. It was prrrrrrredicted that the mithrrrrran royal line would one day give birrrrrrth to one of the new Light Warrrrriors who would be destined to save the land. The crrrrrrrrystal shard was dull, completely blank, until the birth of who we now know to be Vivli. When she was born, the crystal sharrrrrrd began to glow."

"That's how they figured out I was a Light Warrior!" Vivli cried.

"Yes." The chieftainess confirmed. "People from the monastery came, and persuaded your parents to let you be put into protection. Before my time, but I hearrrrr the chieftainess of that perrrrriod wasn't happy with the implication that we couldn't take care of you."

"So I wasn't kidnapped!" Gasped Vivli. "They let me be taken away."

"And the other artefact?" Zinkata inquired. "You said there were two."

"Ah." The chieftainess sighed. "That is why you cannot meet your parents." She said to Vivli. "It is complicated."

Vivli took a heavy sigh, and prepared to be disappointed.

"Are they still alive?" She asked, a little worried.

"Of course they are!" Bootus roared. "Or else you wouldn't be a princess, would you? You'd be a queen."

"Shut up!" Vivli countered, realising she'd been a little stupid.

"The second arrrrrtefact is an unusual glowing orb that had been prrrrresented to the royalty at some point in the mists of time. It had no purrrrpose we can tell of, but recently rogues and beastmen alike have been attempting to steal it. For the prrrrrotection of the king and queen we sent them into hiding." There was a pause. "But things got worrrrse. Now bandits all over the land arrrre kidnapping mithrrrra to find them."

"Wait?" Zinkata said with a slight laugh. "So the mithra the bandits are searching for; it's Vivli's parents?"

"Yes." The chieftainess replied. "You have encounterrrred them?"

"You could say that." Zinkata sarcastically replied. "That's a bit of a coincidence, isn't it?"

"Very little in this worrrrld is coincidence." Warned the chieftainess. "I am sure this you will discoverrrr."

"Why would they want the orb?" Vivli asked, still slightly confused.

"I do not know." The chieftainess replied. "But we felt with the bandit activity, it was safer to bring them back to Kazham. So we sent out their daughter to find them."

"Urm, no you didn't." Vivli muttered. "That's me."

"No, their other daughter. Your sister." Vivli jumped. She hadn't been expecting that either.

"I have a sister?" She cried in shock.

"Herrrr name is Dedji. We sent her out two weeks back. She was headed to Windurst. We believe your parents are hiding therrrre." Vivli, Bootus and Zinkata exchanged glances.

"How could you not recognise your sister?" Bootus yelled.

"I don't know!" She cried back. "Maybe because I didn't know she existed!"  
"You rrrrrrrran into Dedji?" The chieftainess sounded surprised.

"Urm. Yes." Admitted Vivli.

"Then she must not have found them." The chieftainess paused. "I do not know why the dark forrrrrces of this worrrrld want the orb, but if they want it, we must prrrrotect it."

"We'll head to Windurst." Zinkata decided. "We'll look for them."

"Thank you, herrroes." Purred the chieftainess. "With you on our side, I know this matterrrr will be resolved." The four turned to leave. "Good luck, Princess." She wished to Vivli.

"Don't call me that!" Vivli protested. "It sounds strange."

The three gathered outside.

"We need to find Voldos." Vivli decided.

"Whatever you say, Princess." Bootus replied mockingly.

"Stop that!" Vivli snapped.

"I apologise," Bootus said, "Your Highness." He added with a grin.

"Hey! That's not fair!" Vivli yelled.

"If that is what you say, your worshipfulness." _Oh great, now he's making up words _Vivli thought.

"Trust you to ruin what could be a good thing." Vivli grumbled.

"Not my fault you're a princess, Princess." Bootus laughed.

"But I'm not. Not really. Not like the royalty here do anything. Their entire purpose was to make sure I was born, and I was. So no worries." Vivli said with a shrug.  
"Suppose not, Princess." Bootus replied. Vivli let out an angry growl.

"That means you can stop calling me that!" Vivli yelled.

"I know what it means, Princess." Bootus laughed.

"Sweet Chaos, you are so annoying!" Vivli screamed.

"Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me, Princess." Bootus smirked. Vivli marched off angrily. Zinkata was still in a bit of a daze at all the information they had just received.

"Urm, guys?" They suddenly heard Vivli call.

"Coming, Princess!" Bootus yelled, running to catch up with her. Vivli shot him an angry glance.

"What is-" Zinkata began before trailing off. Voldos was hanging in a bamboo cage.

"I'm innocent!" He cried. "Innocent I tell you!"

"Shut up, prrrrisoner!" A mithra guard cried, hitting the edge of the cave with a spear. The three adventurers walked up to the cage.

"What did he do?" Vivli asked.

"He's under arrrrrest for peskerrrrring our chieftainess last night." The guard growled. Vivli let out a giggle and Zinkata sighed. Bootus rolled his eyes.

"What did you do, Voldos?" Vivli asked angrily.

"I simply told her she had a beautiful body!" The elvaan protested. "And a few other beautiful things as well." He added after a guilty pause. Vivli sighed in disbelief.

"Hence, he is under arrrrest until the chieftainess has judged him." The guard explained.

"Voldos! How could you get into this situation?" Zinkata cried.

"I only did it because I thought she would be unable to resist my charm! I swear!" Voldos's defence was fairly weak. "How was I to know she had some kind of superhuman ability to resist my incredible chat up lines?"

"I think every girl has that ability." Vivli sighed.

"No one else talks to the prrrrisoner!" The guard snapped. "Now get away before I have to arrrrest you to." Bootus leant down to Vivli's level.

"Hey, Princess, I bet you could free him with your royal powers." He suggested.

"Shut the hell up!" Snapped Vivli angrily.

"Well, exuuuuu-" That was as far as he got before Vivli slapped him.

"That's not actually a bad idea." Zinkata said, who had overheard. Vivli sighed and stepped forwards.

"Okay." She grumbled. "What about approval from the royalty? Would that let him off?"

"I suppose so." The guard muttered. "I mean, unless the chieftainess objects. She still has last say. The royalty are just pathetic weaklings there for show."

"Hey, she knows you!" Bootus said to Vivli. Vivli ignored this.

"Urm, so can I command you to free him then?" Vivli said nervously.

"What?" The guard suddenly snapped to attention.

"I'm Vivli." She said. The guard looked confused. "Princess Vivli, I guess." She was uneasy saying that. "Check with the chieftainess, I was taken into protection as a baby, but have returned."

"Vivli?" Repeated the guard. "Oh! I know you!" The guard burst into laughter. "You're that girl who couldn't manage the trial yesterday!"

"HEY!" Vivli screamed. "I passed that trial!"

"By cheating." Bootus interjected.

"I did not cheat!" Vivli yelled. "Go talk to the chieftainess!" She suddenly took a commanding tone of voice. It didn't sound right coming from Vivli. "I _am _a princess and I _order _you to release him!" The guard chuckled to herself.

"Fine." She said. "I'll go ask. But only because I want to see the look on the chieftainess's face when I tell her you claimed that."

Of course, the truth was found out, and Voldos was freed. The chieftainess had been unimpressed with the guard's ignorance, but Vivli had admitted it wasn't exactly a common event, so she escaped punishment. Vivli explained Voldos was the fourth Light Warrior, so the chieftainess freed him without a second thought.

"Perrrrhaps you should keep him on a leash." She suggested.

"I think we should." Zinkata laughed.

"Hey!" Voldos protested. "I was gonna escape…."

"We need to catch an airship to Jeuno, then." Zinkata told the others. "We'll get moving right away. As soon as we find Dedji, we can get on with the search. And with any luck find out just who wants the orb and why."

"Aw, do we have to leave the paradise full of scantily clad cat girls so soon?" Voldos whined.

"Shut up, or I'll arrest you myself!" Vivli cried.

**Author's Note: I doubt anybody noticed, but the line 'well, excuuuuuuse me Princess' is from the old Legend of Zelda Saturday morning cartoon. That said, Bootus adopted it as his catchphrase for whenever you tell him he's done anything wrong, and hence this entire plot formulated. Yes, this entire plot has been created purely around that line. I'm sure something's wrong with my writing methods when things like that happen.**


	6. VI

**PART VI**

Zinkata watched the ground pass by under the gigantic airship. He was considering all they had learnt. A mysterious orb was in possession of Vivli's parents, and some dark force was hunting it. He didn't like it. The last orb he saw teleported him back to battle Chaos, the same orb Chaos himself had used to nearly destroy the world of past and present.

"Hey, where's her highness?" Bootus asked Zinkata as he recited events. Then there was that. Vivli. A princess. It seemed ridiculous. Luckily, she had no real power, or else Bootus would have been beheaded fairly quickly.

"Urm, down in the hold, I think." Zinkata answered. "She was reading something."

"Ah, we're probably not good enough for her anymore." Bootus said jokingly. "Probably wants to get away from us lowly peasants."

"You know, she can't hear you mock her right now." Zinkata pointed out.

"Oh come on, you've got to admit it, it's a little weird." Bootus laughed.

"Well, seemed the mithran royalty was entirely based off the line that would reincarnate the Light Warriors, so it makes perfect sense, really. It was just unexpected." Zinkata justified.

"Unexpected is one way of putting it." Bootus sighed. "I stand by weird."

"Well, at least she has no real power, so it won't change anything. It just means the odd mithra in Kazham might occasionally recognise her." Zinkata sighed. "So in fact, all she achieved is that now you can mock her more."

"Ya know, if I wasn't me, I'd feel sorry for her." Bootus laughed again.

Vivli ran up out of the hold over to the two heroes. She was still in her tight and fairly revealing top, having forgotten to get a new robe. It didn't feel natural to her to not be wearing one, but she didn't really have a choice.

"Ah, her highness emerges." Bootus said with an overly exaggerated bow.

"Shut up!" Vivli cried. "I've discovered something incredibly important.

"Please, tell us, Princess." Bootus sniggered as he spoke.

"Stop calling me that!" Vivli protested.  
"What? Princess? Well, Princess, I'm only calling you by your official title, Princess." Bootus smiled as Vivli let out an angry groan.

"God, I hate you." She sighed.

"Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuse me, Princess." Bootus repeated. Vivli rolled her eyes.

"Okay. Fine. Zin? Can I have a word in private? Away from this moron?" She gestured to Bootus, and dragged Zinkata away by the arm.

"Sorry if I offended you, Princess!" He called after with a laugh.

Vivli dragged Zinkata over to the edge of the ship.

"I was reading this book the chieftainess gave me on the royal family." She explained.

"And?" Zinkata asked.

"Well, I found some stuff about the orb. Apparently it's a small orb that glows ever white." She paused. "I even found a drawing." She held open the book, a picture of a mithra king holding the orb and a mithra queen wearing the crystal shard. "I recognise it. I've seen it before."

"Where?" Zinkata quickly questioned.

"A million years ago. In the Temple of the Fiends."

Voldos was slumped against the edge of the airship, looking miserable.

"There are multiple females on this ship, yet you're silent." Bootus pointed out. "Has somebody learnt his lesson?"

"Hey!" Voldos protested. "I was in complete control! I was just about to pull out the ultimate charm. That guard would have fallen into my lap and I would have been free!"

"Do you believe the words coming out of your mouth or are you brighter than that?" Bootus inquired.

"A little of both." Voldos replied, smiling. Bootus sighed.

"That doesn't even make any sense." He groaned. "Now I know how Vivli feels when she talks to me."

Zinkata took the book from Vivli's hands.  
"Explain." He stated in one word.

"You remember the crystal that was going to revive the four fiends?" She asked.

"Well, yes." Zinkata replied. _Of course I do, what a stupid question _he added mentally, deciding not to say it out loud.

"And how we told you about it being surrounded by four orbs." Vivli had explained to Zinkata afterwards, as he had been keeping Chaos busy at the time. "Each one would light up as the fiend's soul was reborn. And how we stopped it in time?"

"Yes." Zinkata said again, growing a little more impatient.

"Well," She admitted. "One lit up before I could stop it." She hadn't admitted this before. She hadn't thought it mattered. "I was overpowered by it." She started speaking quickly to justify herself. "I didn't know if it mattered. I couldn't stop it in time. I'm sorry."

"Whoa." Zinkata said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down. It wasn't your fault. Why does it matter?"

"Well, without all four lit, I theorised the fiends couldn't be reborn, so it didn't matter. But it means the brightly glowing orb does in fact contain the soul of one of the four fiends." She explained, gulping afterwards, expecting an angry reaction. She didn't get one.

"But the four fiends have to be four to be a threat, right?" Zinkata asked.

"Urm. No." She gulped again. "Together, they would destroy this world, but alone, they are a huge threat. Lich, fiend of the Earth, rots the ground and makes it impossible to grow food. Kary, fiend of the fire, burns everything and gives us blistering heat we cannot survive in. Kraken, fiend of the water, stops the ocean dead, no more waves, no more movement, no more fish. Tiamat, fiend of the wind, turns the air stale. Each trait in itself is pretty deadly."

"And which one is in the orb?" Zinkata inquired.

"I don't know." Vivli sighed. "But it seems this mystic artefact is in fact the soul of one of the most evil creatures ever created. Whoever is after it must want to resurrect the fiend."

"Easy then." Zinkata laughed. "We find the orb, and smash it." Zinkata put his arm around Vivli. "Come on, there's nothing to worry about. We took out Chaos, we can take out any fiend."

"We don't have the crystal shards this time." Vivli reminded him, breaking away. "I don't know." She sighed, looking out over the land moving below. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"It's all theory anyway." Zinkata reminded her. "For all we know, that orb might just glow because it was charged with power from Chaos's crystal."

"Don't patronise me. I'm not a little girl." Vivli shot at him. Zinkata paused. He looked confused. "What is it?" Vivli asked in concern.

"The temptation to say 'well excuuuuuuse me Princess' was strangely high." He explained.

"Oh, not you too." Vivli sighed.  
"Well, guess we'll have to tell the others." Zinkata turned about towards Voldos and Bootus. "C'mon."

Elsewhere in the world, Olose Sampson was knelt before the king of San D'Oria.

"You got here quickly, my old friend." The King remarked.

"I can travel fast under the light of the moon." Olose told him. "At least across land."

"Ah yes, of course." The King let a smile cross his face. "The problem is unusual. Your knowledge is great. Perhaps it can assist."

"Tell me the problem and I'll see." Olose replied.

"The orc camp near San D'Oria has always been a problem. You know this." The King began. "But it is no longer. A strike team eliminated every last orc there."

"Congratulations." Olose said to the King.

"It was no force of San D'Oria." The King told the strange smuggler.

"Then what?" Olose inquired.

"I do not know." The King explained. "But I do know this: there were no bodies. There was blood, and definitely killing and combat, but no bodies."

"Hm." Olose remarked. "I'll need to take a closer look, but my first reaction would say a necromancer planning to resurrect the bodies as an army. I've never heard of one so powerful before though. And secondly, if he could wipe out the orc armies anyway, why would he need an army?"

"Questions I hope you can answer, my friend." The King said.

"So do I." Olose replied. "I'm certain it's related to other strange events of recent times, however."

"Certain?" The King repeated in confusion.

"When you're as old as me, you know these things don't happen in isolation." Olose took out a heavy sigh. "If we're lucky, it's some simple evil plot."

"And if we're unlucky?" The King sounded worried.

"Then this has something to do with Chaos." Olose explained. "It can't be coincidence it happens so shortly after the defeat of the Demon Lord."

"Chaos?" The King exclaimed. "He cannot return, can he?"

"Never count anything out." Olose said as he impatiently paced the throne room. "I'll check it out. If my gut instinct it correct, I know who we need."

"The Light Warriors." Remarked the King.

"I just left them. They'll be expecting me back soon anyway." He paused. "But not until this phase of the moons is over."

"They do not know your nature?" The King said surprised.

"How could I tell them?" He told the King. "Besides, the girl likes me. She's probably be freaked out by the age difference." The King laughed along with his old friend.

"You haven't changed in the slightest." The King said, beaming a smile and forgetting his worries.

The four tore across the plains on chocobos.

"Why do I always get the smelly one?" Vivli asked miserably.

"I think it's you your smelling." Bootus mocked. He quickly paused, before adding; "Princess" just to sufficiently annoy her.

"Or, more cleverly, it would be because you mithra have a stronger sense of smell than we do." Zinkata pointed out.  
"Damn logic." Vivli muttered. "All I know is my new robe is going to be stinking of chocobo for days now." Vivli had managed to replace her robe in Jeuno, with a new fancy one. It didn't really offer much protection, but was comfortable, and looked better than most. It was light blue, almost like silk, and had little dark blue stitched patterns all over it.

"And the chocobo is going to be stinking of mithra, so I think it's equally unhappy." Bootus pointed out. This time he forgot to add 'princess' and Vivli definitely wasn't going to remind him.

"I still can't believe all this stuff you said about the orb." Voldos spoke up. "This means we have to save the world _again._ We only just finished clearing up."

"Ah, it's Vivli. She's probably wrong or overreacting." Bootus pointed out.

"W-w-well," Vivli was a little offended, "It is just a theory. I mean, even if they got the orb, I have no clue what they would do with it or how they would resurrect the fiend anyway."

"Or you might be completely wrong." Bootus suggested. "Or don't you Princesses ever make mistakes?" _Dammit, he remembered, _Vivli had enjoyed the few seconds away from that topic.

They rode late into the night. They didn't want to stop and set up camp because they didn't want to waste anytime. Despite the fact they mocked Vivli's theory, they knew she was usually right when it came to her research and so they were all slightly worried. Not that they'd admit it. They didn't have to worry about her finding out for much longer though, as she was falling asleep on her chocobo. She yawned, and put her head down on the chocobo's neck.

"Aw, is the wittle Princess tired?" Bootus taunted.

"Yes." Came a muffled reply. She was too tired to argue.

"You can't ride asleep." Zinkata pointed out.

"I'm willing to try." Vivli groaned.

"You have a serious stamina issue." Voldos laughed. Vivli didn't reply this time, just sleeping. Of course, had Voldos said it a few moments beforehand, she would have been woken up into an argument with the elvaan. Bootus and Voldos looked at Zinkata.

"Fine. I'll carry her." He sighed, lifting her carefully off the chocobo and letting it run loose into the wild. He put her on the back of his, where she slumped against him. She was light enough so that the chocobo didn't notice the weight difference.

The one great thing about sleeping, Vivli had found, was that it seemed to make journeys go quicker. She woke up, lying in a bed in Windurst. She blinked a few times, and yawned. The down side of sleeping when you're travelling is that for some bizarre reason, you never feel like you've actually slept. She rolled over, and decided to go back to sleep.

"Hey, you'rrrre awake." A voice came. She sat up. _Dammit! _she grumbled in her thoughts, _why is there always somebody there to make sure I get up? _"You'rrrrrre a heavy sleeper."

"I was tired." She rubbed her eyes, and looked over to the speaker. It was Dedji.

"How's it going, sis?" Dedji asked, pacing out each word as if it was a very confusing thing to say.

"Urm. Things have been a little odd, I guess." She replied. "Like discovering I have a sister among other things." Dedji laughed.

"I neverrrrrr thought I'd see you again after the monasterrrrrry took you away." She explained. "I was only five at the time, so I couldn't rrrrrreally rrrrrrremember you that well."

"I can't remember anything from back then." Vivli muttered, getting up. "Glad to see they found you, though."

"_Found _me? That bloody elvaan's been hitting on me all morrrrrrning." Sighed Dedji. Vivli chuckled to herself.

"I always got off lightly there." She explained. "I don't know if that's luck or whether it means I'm supposed to be offended." She had actually pondered that a few times before, and never come to an answer.

"So I guess you'rrrrrrre looking for Mum and Dad as well." Dedji asked. "Guessing from what they've told me." Vivli was a little taken back by hearing them be called 'Mum and Dad', she had never really considered it. All this time she'd been looking, she hadn't actually pondered what it would be like to find them.

"That's right." She finally stammered. "They're being chased-"

"-because of the orb. I know." Dedji paused. "Sorry I didn't tell you when we first met, I just didn't know if I could trrrrrrust you."

"I understand." Vivli replied. "Any idea where they are?" As if by some cosmic cue, Bootus stuck his head in the door.

"Hey, Princesses, we need you out here." He called. Vivli cursed to herself.

"What's wrrrrong?" Dedji asked as the two walked out.

"Him! Bootus! He's _so _annoying!" Vivli cried.

"Why?" Dedji seemed a little curious.

"Because everything he does he does to annoy me!" Vivli protested.

"Well, maybe if you didn't _get_ so annoyed he wouldn't do it." Dedji pointed out. Vivli stammered while trying to think of a response.

The five gathered around a table outside in the streets of Windurst, as the party often found themselves doing.

"Found them." Bootus pointed to the two mithra.

"Right, I found out some information." Zinkata began. "And it isn't good."

"Uh oh." Vivli said aloud.

"I overheard a band of bandits talking in a bar. Apparently they've captured their 'targets' and are getting ready to head out to Mhaura. They have a camp in the desert." Zinakta explained.

"You overheard that?" Vivli asked in surprise.

"I overheard the first bit. The rest of the time the bandit was pinned to the wall via knives in his hands. It was what I made out between the gurgled screams." Vivli looked like she suddenly went several shades paler. "If it's any better, I made sure he was healed before I threw him in jail." The ex-thief added.

"So, what's the plan?" Dedji asked.

"We'll head to desert outside Mhaura, and attack!" Zinkata cried.

"Alrrrrright!" Dedji yelled. "This sounds like fun!"

"Fun?" Vivli repeated blankly.

"Come on sis, you're a warrior right? You have to love combat." Dedji said happily.

"I'm a white mage!" Vivli yelled.

"You arrrrre?" Dedji looked a little confused. "How can you be a mithran princess? We're all rrrrrraised to be warriors."

"I wasn't raised by mithra, or had you forgotten?" Vivli's comment came off as a little more venomous than she had intended.

"That and I doubt she could lift a sword." Bootus taunted.  
"That's not true!" Vivli cried.

"I use a scythe anyway." Dedji remarked. "Prrrrrefer it." Dedji looked at Vivli a little oddly. "I can't believe you'rrrre a mage."

"There's nothing wrong with being a mage!" Vivli protested. "There isn't!" She repeated for emphasis.

"Sorrrrrry," Purred Dedji, "I guess I was just expecting you to be a strrrrrong warrrrrrior like most mithra." Vivli folded her arms and grumbled something.

"Every party needs a white mage!" She said in her defence.

"Aw, they even argue like siblings." Bootus laughed.

"Can we just go, please?" Voldos requested.

"Good idea." Dedji said in agreement. "I need to grrrrrrrrab my weapon and arrrrrmour first."

"Yeah, so do we." Zinkata told her.

"Vivli," Dedji said to her. "Guess you can just stay herrrre and be defenceless."

"That's not fair!" Vivli cried as the mithra left. "How did that break down so quickly?" Vivli asked in despair.

"Sounds like she has something against mages." Zinkata grumbled. "Don't worry, I'm sure it'll work out." He turned and left, as did the others, leaving Vivli slumped at the table in confusion.


	7. VII

**Author's Note: Star Wars references galore in this chapter. I love that movie, and one of the situations is similar. Put it down to poor writing, having to steal lines from other sources, I can just claim it's a 'loving reference'.**

**PART VII**

"Trust me, I read this in a book once." Vivli assured. It was late afternoon, they had found the camp and scouted it effectively.

"This book; it wasn't fiction, was it?" Bootus asked as he tied Dedji and Vivli's hands with the rope Vivli usually reserved for her paddle and her belt.

"Well, yes. But it worked." She explained. "Just go down there, and pretend we're prisoners. They'll let us in to the tent with the other prisoners, and then we can easily go about freeing them."

"Obviously you know a lot about prison breakouts, your highness." Bootus said with a smirk.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Vivli yelled, stamping her foot angrily like a young child. Dedji laughed.

"Okay, you realise once we free them, we still need to fight our way out?" Zinkata asked.

"Shouldn't be too harrrrrrd." Dedji growled with a sadistic look on her face.

"We're the Light Warriors." Voldos reminded Zinkata, before winking at Dedji. "We can handle anything."

The five approached the tent they had identified as the tent where the prisoners were kept. Zinkata and Voldos stood on either side of Vivli and Dedji, and Bootus loomed behind. Zinkata took a deep breath, walking up to the bandit guards.

"Prisoner transfer from our camp in San D'Oria." He explained, hoping he didn't show how nervous he was.

"We have a camp in San D'Oria?" Inquired the guard. "First I've heard of it."

"It's new." Zinkata quickly explained. "Very sloppy. Hence why I wanted to transfer these two. Thought you're boss could make better use of them."

"Well, we have the prisoners we were looking for," The bandit guard explained, walking up so his face was right next to Vivli's, "But I'm sure we can find a use for these two." Vivli shivered at the implied meaning. The two guards followed the five through.

Inside a basic metal cage was erected, with a male and female mithra inside, who looked slightly like Vivli. They were much older of course. Vivli restrained herself, as did Dedji, but the two mithra ran to the edge of the cage in shock.

"No!" One gasped.

"Sit down!" Snarled the guard. "Right, thank you." He said to the heroes. "You can leave now."

"Okay, we'll just-" Zinkata stopped in fake surprise as Dedji 'broke free' of her ropes, grabbing her own scythe from Zinkata's back and attacking. "She's loose!" He yelled as she took out one of the guards. Vivli flipped the rope over the back of another, and started strangling him. In the chaotic confusion, the guard managed to throw Vivli over his shoulder, but was shot by an arrow from Voldos, letting out a scream. The elvaan ran to the entrance to the tent, sticking his head out. Zinkata swooped down to the fallen guard, grabbing a ring of keys. He quickly set about trying each in the cage's lock.

"Dedji!" Cried the man who was obviously her father. "And- It can't be." He gasped in utter shock.

"Hi Dad. Mum." Vivli waved nervously.

"Zin! Head's up!" Voldos cried from the doorway. "We're gonna have company!" An arrow tore through the tent from outside. Voldos leant out and shot some more. An arrow managed to hit Bootus in the shoulder. Vivli quickly set about healing him. The galka tore the arrow out with a groan. There was a loud gunshot, and Zinkata went down as a bullet tore through the tent fabric. "Great." Voldos sighed. "They have a rifle."

Vivli quickly went about healing Zinkata.

"Bootus!" Voldos yelled, watching as more arrows and gunshots tore through the tent. "We need a backdoor, _now!"_

"I'm on it!" The galka cried. Zinkata got back up, and successfully unlocked the cage. The mithra King and Queen ran out. Bootus tore a large hole in the back of the tent. "Let's move!" Voldos fired a few more arrows out of the tent and the seven strong party darted out the back.

They ran out into the desert camp. Bandits quickly saw them and approached.

"This is some rescue." The Queen remarked, looking at the approaching villains.  
"Maybe you'd like it better back in your cell, your highness?" Bootus angrily grumbled.

"Can it!" Zinkata ordered. "Get ready to fight!" The bandits swung in. Zinkata blocked one and slashed another. Dedji ran with her scythe, parrying many away. Bootus pummelled them as he usually did. Voldos hung back, using long range attacks. Vivli's parents grabbed swords, and started repelling the enemies with all the skills of well trained mithran warriors. Vivli felt a little left out.

"HELP!" She bellowed, as a bandit approached her with an evil grin on his face.

"We're a little busy!" Zinkata yelled, who was currently lying on the floor, dodging blows coming in from all angles.

"Don't suppose you want to talk through your problems?" Vivli offered to the approaching bandit. "I find a good talk is a lot better than violence." The bandit lunged at her and she jumped back. Dedji ran in, jumping over Vivli with a flip and knocking the bandit back.

"Sheesh, can't you take care of yourself for five minutes?" She asked.

"Shut up!" Vivli cried. "We're in trouble!"

"Nice plan." Dedji said through gritted teeth as more bandits approached them. "Can't you fight at all?"

"I have this." Vivli drew her paddle.

"You must be the most useless mithra in the world." Dedji shot at her.

"Hey! I can heal! And I do it pretty damn well!" Vivli protested. Bootus fell back, bleeding. Vivli ran forwards, casting a cure spell to prove it. The galka jumped up, and slammed back his attacker. Another bandit ran at Vivli. She held out the paddle. "Hey! Stay back!" She stammered, backing away. "I know how to use it." The bandit slashed his sword, and the paddle fell in two. "Ah. Right. Run." She said, turning and running as fast as she could. The bandit grabbed her tail and pulled her back, throwing her to the ground. She emitted a loud scream. "Dedji! HELP!" She cried as the bandit pulled back his sword. Dedji ran and jumped at the bandit, knocking him over. She sliced him with a scythe and turned away.

"Completely useless." She muttered under her breath as Vivli staggered up. The sun was setting and it was growing dark as they battled.

Voldos fired another arrow, taking out the rifleman.

"Rifle is down!" He announced. Somebody ran at him, two swords in his hands. Voldos barely drew his before he was being driven back. A sword flew through the air, killing the bandit. The King smiled.

"And they say male mithra can't fight." He said with a smirk.

"We need to get out of here!" Zinkata yelled.

"Really?" Bootus cried. "I never thought of that!" Another arrow hit the mighty galka. Vivli was doing her best to heal, but becoming quickly fatigued.

Dedji was slashed across the leg, and fell down. A bandit sneered at her and went to finish her off. Vivli threw herself between the two, pushing the bandit back. He laughed and pushed Vivli aside, knocking her to the floor. She cast a banish spell, at least wounding the bandit giving her enough time to run and jump in an attack. She gathered enough force to make the bandit stagger, but didn't carry enough weight to knock him over. She clung to his back, hitting him a few times to no avail. She instead started to strangle him, finding it a better tactic. He grabbed her and hurled her onto the floor, and pinned her down. Now she was the one being choked. She struggled desperately, but couldn't move. Her vision was beginning to tunnel.

Zinkata took another out, and noticed as the sun finally set and the camp was plunged into darkness. Blazing arrows began to fly at them.

"What are they doing?" The warrior cried. "They're going to burn the entire camp down!"

"Fine by me!" Voldos cried, firing an arrow through the flames into a tent. The tent burst into orange fire. The light and heat made the battle seem more intense.

"Okay! Head north!" Zinkata commanded. "We need to get out of here before we're all toast!" The heroes began to run.

"Where's Vivli?" Voldos yelled. They all looked around.

Vivli was gasping for air, but it was futile. Her body went limp.

"SIS!" Dedji gasped, finally seeing this. She limped over, and slashed outwards with her scythe. She picked up the tiny mithra. "Come on!" She cried. "Breath!" She pounded Vivli's chest. "Don't die on me! I don't even know you yet!"

An immense howl roared over the camp.

"Now what?" Zinkata grumbled.

"We need to get out of here." The Queen reminded the warrior.

"We're under attack from the west!" A bandit yelled as he ran past. The bandits were breaking away.

"It's some kind of beast!" Another screamed.

"It won't die!" A third cried.

"Sounds like it would be best to leave." Zinkata gulped. "I don't know what that is, but I don't want to find out." He looked at the shimmering full moon now visible in the sky, and felt a chill run down his back.

Dedji felt Vivli's chest move. She was alive, but only just. She picked her up, and ran back to the others, leaving her scythe behind. Bandits suddenly surrounded her, pointing their swords.

"Freeze." One ordered. Dedji didn't move. The bandit was suddenly picked up and hurled across the camp. A gigantic wolf-like creature, twice the size of any man, growled and bit into a second. They all rushed, stabbing it. It just flung them aside. Its fur was grey, its face twisted in anger, its body was humanoid but gigantic. It ripped apart a third. Dedji froze in horror. It turned to face the mithra. Dedji bent down, picking up a sword.

"S-s-s-s-stay back, beast!" She stammered. It was clearly incredibly powerful. It roared, and turned away. Dedji couldn't quite believe it. Zinkata ran to her side.

"Is that what I think it is?" He exclaimed.

"What do you think it is?" Dedji asked in confusion, still half paralysed from fear.

"No time for idle speculation!" The King announced. "Let's move!"

The heroes managed to escape to Mhaura without incident. The wolf beast kept the bandits distracted for a clean escape. The King introduced himself as Cruth, and the Queen as Arcane. Zinkata explained to them the story.

"Oh no." Dedji suddenly cried as soon as this story ended.

"What?" Zinkata asked.

"We rescued the prisoners, but never got the orb!" Dedji explained. "I'm very happy you're safe mother, father." Dedji told them. "But this orb was vital."

"We can worry about that tomorrow." Cruth told her. "What about Vivli? Is she alright? I never thought we'd see her again."

"She should recover." Dedji told them. "She's a useless warrior. You'd be disappointed."

"Now, now. It's an old stereotype all mithra must be warriors, isn't it dear?" Cruth said to Arcane.

"Of course." Arcane replied. "I'm sure Vivli is doing well as a mage."

"We need that orb." Zinkata told them. "If we fail, the world could end."

"It's only a theory." Bootus quickly input.

"We can do nothing more tonight. We should discuss it tomorrow." Arcane suggested. "You must be tired. Let's get some sleep."

Vivli woke up at some point in the afternoon. Her body felt incredibly weak. She could barely move. She rose to her feet, and wondered down into the bar of the inn. Zinkata, Voldos, Bootus and Dedji were gathered there. She swayed a little.

"You can't be serious." Dedji laughed aloud.

"Oh, come on. It makes sense!" Voldos cried. "Full moon. Wolf creature. Werewolf. Had to be."

"Werewolves are beings of myth. They got wiped out." Dedji smirked.

"Better listen to her." Bootus warned. "She's a Princess. must have had a royal education."

"That doesn't wind me up like it winds Vivli up." Dedji told him. Nobody had noticed she was watching. Her legs gave way and she collapsed, which certainly _did _alert them.

They ran over to her and helped her into a chair. She whimpered a little.

"Sorry." She said weakly.

"Are you alright, sis?" Dedji asked, actually looking concerned.

"I don't feel to great." She explained in answer.

"You were nearly choked to death." Zinkata told her. "You're very lucky to be alive."  
"Where's my parents?" She asked.

"They went outside for a bit. I'm sure they'll be back any minute now." Zinkata told her.

"I want to talk to them." She explained.

"We figured." Laughed Dedji. "They want to talk to you." Vivli slumped in her chair. Dedji suddenly felt very guilty for being so rude to Vivli before. She looked so weak and vulnerable, and was, of course, her baby sister. "Urm. Sorry about saying mean things before." Dedji explained. She still detested mithra that appeared weak, or unable to fight for themselves, but Vivli was a kind person, who had almost got herself killed saving Dedji. Not to mention one of the instinctive drives she felt, like so many, was to protect her baby sister from harm.

"It's okay." Vivli said in reply. "I adventure with Bootus. I don't notice mean things anymore."

"I'm glad to have you as a sister." Dedji admitted, sounding a bit more light hearted.

"And I'm glad to have you." Vivli spoke in return.

"Awww," Bootus said in his heavily patronising tone, "I think I'm going to cry."

The galka heard footsteps behind him.

"Before you do," Came a voice, "I think I have something you may be interested in." The figure of Olose Sampson slammed a glowing white orb down on the table, shot Vivli a smile, and pulled up a chair, waiting for a comment.


	8. VIII

**Author's Note: Here's another one. I'm making a lot of these this time around. This is just for those who were curious to all the Star Wars references I mentioned. The main part is the escape plan, which was exactly what Han and Luke did with Chewbacca in the first movie (when Vivli said she got her idea from a book, it was a little inside joke. In my head, she had in fact read 'Star Wars', since it can't have been a movie in Vana'diel). Many lines were lifted as well. You may have noticed 'I have a bad feeling about this' a few chapters back. This time there were; 'We're gonna have company!', 'This is some rescue', 'Perhaps you'd like it better back in your cell, your highness', and 'She's loose' (which was 'It's loose' in Star Wars, referring to Chewie). And the start of the 'Prisoner transfer…' line was based off Star Wars as well. So pretty much, it was a huge rip off. I wonder if anybody spotted them all….**

**PART VIII**

The heroes bore blank expressions. They moved their heads from the orb on the table, to the smiling (yet somehow weary) face of Olose.

"How did you get that?" Voldos asked in disbelief.

"Simple. I was there." Olose answered. He took a deep sigh. He hadn't wanted to explain, but knew now he'd have to.

"What do you mean, you were there?" Vivli questioned, feeling very confused. "You didn't say hello or anything." Bootus sniggered at Vivli saying this.

"I was there. I saved you and Dedji, in fact." Olose smiled.

"You didn't." Dedji shot. She then paused. "Unless you're- No. That's not possible."

"I'm afraid it is." Olose answered. "There's no easy way to say this. I'm a werewolf."

Silence fell over the table.

"But, you're a decent man. Werewolves are evil. They have no souls or-" Vivli started ranting in disbelief.

"No." Olose interrupted. "Werewolves are _not _evil. Uncontrollable at first, but not evil."

"That's how that wound healed!" The white mage guessed.

"Yes. As a werewolf, I regenerate. Only silver can physically harm me. Any dead cells regenerate. Hence, I have been alive for six hundred and fifteen years." There was a long pause. _That's some age difference _thought Vivli.

"You're six hundred years old?" Zinkata exclaimed in disbelief.

"Six hundred and fifteen." Olose corrected. "The last surviving werewolf in the whole of Vana'diel, that I know of. Over those six hundred years I learnt to control myself in my werewolf form, hence why I didn't attack you last night."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Vivli asked.

"It's not exactly something I bring up. 'Hi, my name's Olose and I'm a werewolf.' Doesn't happen." He smiled sarcastically. "All that matters is that you have your orb now. We need to figure out what to do with it."

"Let's smash it." Bootus told the group.

"I wouldn't do that, if I were you." Olose warned. "As you've probably figured, over six hundred years I've got around. I've seen a lot." He paused. "I've encountered souls in objects before. Smashing them often _releases _the soul. If there's something relating to Chaos within, we don't want to be doing that."

"So what do we do?" Bootus asked. "Stare at it? Pretend to be fortune tellers and make money with it?"

"That's not a bad idea." Zinkata said in thought.

"I think we should research it carefully before we make a decision." Olose suggested. Vivli got up and wondered out of the room.

It had been too much. She had just found out she had a sister, discovered she was in fact part of a dead chain of mithran royalty, discovered one of her friends was a six hundred year old werewolf and just found that they don't know what to do with the orb they had captured. She, in simple terms, felt very stressed. She sighed and looked out over Mhaura. It was quiet, and that was useful because it meant she could think peacefully. Until Arcane walked up behind her.

"Hello, Vivli." She said a little awkwardly. Vivli turned around.

"Urm. Hello." She replied, suddenly finding herself with a complete lack of things to say.

"Arrrrrre you okay?" Arcane asked. She sounded very caring.

"I'm a little stressed." Vivli confessed. "Very confused. A lot has happened. A lot."

"I can underrrrrstand." Arcane said in response. "I'm sorrrrrrrry we werrrrrrre never therrrrrrre for you." She added after a long pause. "It must have been awful growing up alone."

"I wasn't alone." Vivli pointed out. "I was protected, raised, all by one man. Like a brother and a father at the same time."

"You'll have to intrrrrrroduce us so I can thank him perrrrrrrsonally." Arcane smiled.

"I can't. He's dead." Vivli found herself being fairly blunt. "Murdered by the Demon Lord Chaos right in front of me." Vivli was surprised by her own self control. She had that memory lodged in her head, and her brain was replaying it before her.

"_Come on! You heard him! We have to go!"_

"_FIOREL!"_

"_Remember, your big brother loves you." _

"_And your little sister loves you." _

"_Aw, how touching. Can I kill you now?" _

"_Give it your best shot."_

She hadn't seen him die. That was a lie. She had heard him scream. But she had been running away at the time. Fiorel, the person she owed most to in the world, sacrificed himself for her and the fate of the world. Arcane could see the painful look on her daughter's face.

"I'm sorrrrrrrry." Arcane said quietly. "I'm sorrrrrrry we weren't therrrrre for you. I'm sorrrrrrrrry we couldn't help you." She offered her daughter a hug. Vivli accepted it, finding it incredibly comforting.

What she was unaware of was that Bootus, Zinkata, Voldos and Dedji were watching out the bar window.

"Seems like they're getting on." Zinkata commented.

"She certainly needs it." Voldos said.

"Bah. Just because she's a wuss, you all feel sorry for her." Bootus muttered. Dedji sniggered a little.

"It is nice they get along." She said. "I barely know her, but it's nice to see her happy."

"I know how you feel." Zinkata input. "Vivli's not far from a little sister for any of us, after all. She's part of the group, youngest, weakest, needs us the most. And after what we've been through, we're pretty much like family."

"I'm related to Voldos?" Bootus exclaimed. "Sweet Chaos! It's a nightmare beyond my greatest fears!" Voldos shot Bootus an unamused look.

"You're not funny." Voldos commented, and this caused Bootus to snigger. He decided to change this subject. "Besides, I don't understand why everybody keeps saying Vivli's weak."

"Because she's got the physical ability of a six year old girl?" Bootus suggested.

"I know some six yearrrrr olds that would beat the crrrrrrap out of herrrrr." Dedji input, causing Bootus to laugh.

"But mentally, it's unbelievable she's still going. Think about it. She's had her brother murdered-" Voldos began, but Dedji cut him off.

"She has a brother?"

"Urm. Brother figure murdered. Twice by what we knew at the time. Her friend betrayed her. Then when she turned back to the light and wanted forgiveness, she was murdered, in front of Vivli, before Vivli got the chance to forgive her. Factor into that the fact that she had to carry the weight of the world, fight the most evil creature in all creation, go back in time, take part in a war, discover her parents had been kidnapped and the stress of finding out who she really is, and you can forgive her for crying occasionally and being a little upset." Voldos himself was surprised as the list grew and grew.

"We did most of that stuff, as well." Bootus pointed out.

"Yeah, and I bet you cry to yourself all the time." Voldos said with a smirk.

"Dearrrrr Altana, that is a lot to go through." Dedji sighed.

"I mean, we're all experienced warriors and adventurers, but Vivli never was." Voldos added for further explanation.

"You defend herrrrr like she's parrrrt of yourrrrr family too." Dedji laughed. "Guess she neverrrr rrrrrreally needed us anyway."

"I feel like we're in a fairy tale." Bootus commented. "Is this the moral? The bit that makes kids go 'oh, she had a family all along because she had friends'?"

"Werrrrre you born a sarrrrrcastic gimp or did it develop?" Dedji inquired. Voldos and Zinkata laughed. Olose wondered over and joined the group.

"So, what's the plan?" Olose inquired, sitting down.

"Don't really have one." Zinkata admitted. "The orb is safe in our protection. What concerns me is who's after it. I mean, if it contains the soul of a fiend, who is trying to free it?"

"As long as it's not Chaos, I don't care." Voldos said with a laugh.

"We don't have to worry about Chaos." Olose smirked. "He's gone. But something is hunting the orb, and I want to know what."

"You're not alone there." Zinkata said. "But how do we find out?"

"I don't know." Olose confessed. "I imagine that if we wait, it will reveal itself soon enough."

A smile was fixed on Vivli's face as she wondered into the bar. She walked quickly to the table, clearly being very happy.

"Hey guys!" She called. "We thought of anything?"

"You seem worryingly happy. I don't think it's natural." Voldos commented.

"Why not? I can be happy. Everything's finally sorted out." She smiled brightly. She then paused, and the smile faded. "Actually, everything is _so _sorted out, I was wondering if I could go back to Kazham. Spend some time with my parents." She suggested it as tactfully as she could. All three of the adventurers (yes, even Bootus) looked a little taken back by this.

"You want to leave the group?" Zinkata asked, a little surprised, and to be honest, a little hurt.

"No. No." She quickly said. "I just want to spend a bit of time getting to know my parents, my sister, my home. I'll contact you guys every day by linkshell, then rejoin up later."

"Who are we to keep you from that?" Zinkata asked rhetorically. "If it's what you want, then do it."

"Thanks." Vivli said happily, the smile returning. She sat down joining the group. "So what are we-" She corrected herself. "-you going to do with the orb?"

"We could take it to San D'Oria." Voldos suggested. "That city is more fortified than any other, and we Elvaan respect rules and regulations so no bandits would be able to operate in the city."

"San D'Oria also has the biggest library in the whole of Vana'diel." Olose explained. "I'm sure we could find something there."

"Well, Vivli is our resident researcher," Bootus said, "But she's running off with her other family!" It was a sarcastic cry, but it still upset Vivli a little.

"Sorry." She muttered. "I didn't think it was unreasonable."  
"I'm joking Viv." Bootus reiterated, not liking to genuinely hurt the mithra, just annoy her. "Speaking of her family." Bootus pointed to Arcane and Cruth and they wondered over to the table.

"Hello." Arcane said politely. "Did Vivli tell you what she plans to do?"

"Yeah." Zinkata nodded in reply. "You take care of her, right?"

"Stop that!" Vivli protested. "I'm not a kid!" Zinkata chuckled. There was a sudden vibrating noise on the table.

"What the hell is that?" Dedji exclaimed. The orb was beginning to shake.

"What's it doing?" Voldos asked curiously. The orb rolled off the table and smashed to pieces on the floor. The entire group were slightly taken back. There was silence in the bar.

"Voldos. I blame you for that." It was naturally Bootus who spoke first.

"You just say that because you think I'm clumsy!" Voldos didn't present the greatest defence of all time.

"That is true." Bootus replied.

"Well, I guess that's over." Zinkata muttered. "That was easy. All we had to do was accidentally break it."

"You fool." Cruth suddenly said, turning slowly towards the warrior. "It's not over."

He began to float in the air. His eyes were glowing a bright yellow, and yellow electricity crackled around him.

"What?" Voldos exclaimed.  
"Father!" Cried Dedji.

"Dad!" Vivli screamed.

"Are you so blind?" Cruth's voice sounded like a snarl, deep in tone yet monstrous in nature. "I am not the pathetic mortal you believe me to be. I am Lich! Fiend of the Earth! And I am reborn!"

"NO!" Vivli yelled.

"Yes." Countered Lich. "This body is now but a vessel. I shall see that the ground rots and this planet ends."

"Oh no you wont." The heroes raised from their seats, drawing their weapons. Voldos quickly loaded an arrow.

"No!" Vivli yelled, pushing his arms down. "You can't hurt him! That's my father!"

"We have to, Viv." Zinkata explained.

"No! There has to be a better way!" Vivli sobbed.

"Yes. Yes. Find a better way." Lich laughed. "I knew you could not bring yourself to see me perish. Not in this body. What will it be, Light Warriors? Are you going to kill her too?" Dedji angrily glared at Lich.

"You can't think you'll get away with this!" She cried. "If I have to kill my own father, I will!"

"So be it." Lich spat, and the yellow electricity surrounding him shot out, crackling around Dedji. She fell to the floor, screaming. Voldos fired an arrow, and it lodged in the shoulder of the fiend. "Oh, I feel no pain. But you are battering this body." He warned. "I shall always survive, but I cannot say the same for this being."

"Please! Stop!" Vivli cried, now in tears. "Don't hurt him!"

"Viv! We have to!" Zinkata yelled.

"Just try." Lich taunted. "My power is far beyond your pathetic skills." Arcane, who had been watching in utter disbelief until now, rose.

"You won't win!" She yelled. "We'll defeat you yet! Even if my love has to die!"

"Go!" Zinkata commanded. "Get out of here! We'll handle this!"

"What about me?" Dedji asked.

"Protect your mother! Go!" Dedji and Arcane bolted from the bar.

Lich laughed as he turned to face the four heroes.

"So, the Light Warriors are assembled at last." Lich let out a second evil laugh. "I see no crystal shards, Light Warriors. Your powers have passed. You can no longer resist me."

"Dammit, Lich!" Zinkata cried. "We killed Chaos, we can destroy you."

"No! The shards crushed Chaos." Lich laughed. "I was there. In that orb. I've waited, until they were gone. Until the crystal shards were no more. Because I knew, as soon as you defeated Chaos, I could return. You are without the power to defeat me! I had to wait, I had to spend so long within that orb, waiting until the end of the battle. And now I am back, and I shall fulfil what Chaos could not! The four fiends shall rise again!"  
"NO!" Zinkata ran at Lich, and was blasted back by lightning.

"You cannot defeat me." Lich taunted.

"Forgetting someone?" Olose asked from behind.

Lich spun to face Olose.

"Ah, the pathetic puppy." Lich taunted. "You want to fight?"

"I'll rip you limb for limb!" Olose yelled.

"Olose! Please! No!" Vivli sobbed.

"Ah, but will you go against her wishes?" Lich asked with an evil grin. "You love her. You wouldn't harm her." Olose clenched his fists and gritted his teeth in anger. Lich's flaming yellow eyes glared down at him. "I am proficient in many spells, I warn you." Lich began. "This is a particular favourite. Silver Arrow!" Lich summoned a gleaming silver arrow, and hurled it at Olose. It tore right through his flesh and out the other side, causing a gigantic burn wound within. Olose crashed to the floor, screaming in agony. "Ah, silver. The only thing that can harm a werewolf." Laughed Lich as he looked down at Olose. Olose groaned in pain. Vivli quickly started casting a heal spell, but Lich hurled lightning at her, and she yelled in her own pain, falling to the floor.

Zinkata, Voldos and Bootus prepared themselves as fearful form of the flying Cruth, complete with yellow eyes and cracking electricity, approached them. Vivli reeled in pain, unable to move from the pure agony. Her muscles wouldn't respond. She didn't have the strength to deal with this kind of pain. She gritted her teeth, and managed to crawl, despite this. _I'll show you who's weak _she thought angrily. She began to cast a spell.

Bootus was flung to the ground. Voldos leapt at Lich, and was blasted back by a lightning bolt. Zinkata ran forwards with a sword, driving it into Lich's leg. Lich shattered the sword with a wave of his hand, and threw Zinkata back.

"This flesh suffers." Lich laughed. "You are killing her father."

"Don't!" Vivli cried from the floor. "There must be a better way!" She pleaded to the heroes.

"There isn't." Olose had risen, having been healed by Vivli. He was no longer human. He had taken his werewolf form. He was gigantic, he was hunched just to fit in the bar. His twisted face growled with rage. He sprang at Lich, thrusting him out the wall and shattering the bar. Lich threw him off.

"Insect!" Lich taunted. "This is over!" The ground began to quake. All were thrown to the floor as fissures opened and rocks began to fly. Lava began to pour out into the streets. "Feel the power of the Fiend of the Earth!" Lich screamed as he disappeared in a flash of light.

Olose awoke back in human form some time later, and surveyed the devastation. Buildings were damaged, the streets were scorched, and the heroes were badly hurt. The available white mages had been healing the wounded, and this allowed the heroes to gather outside. They were all sat by the docks. Vivli was sobbing to herself. Dedji and Arcane looked extremely hurt. The others had immense images of anger on their faces.

"What's going on?" Bootus cried. "What is Lich playing at?"

"There was an attack in San D'Oria lately." Olose began to explain. "The orcish population was wiped out. Every last body was stolen. Lich must be planning to resurrect them as an army of undead warriors."

"Can we defeat them?" Zinkata asked the obvious question.

"No." Vivli sobbed. "Lich is the master of the undead. They wont die no matter what we do. Our armies won't stand a chance."

"And you didn't let us finish him!" Bootus yelled angrily.

"He's my father! You can't kill him!" Vivli protested through tears.

"This isn't going to get us anywhere." Arcane growled. "We need a course of action."

"I can delay him." Olose suggested. "As you saw, I can adopt my werewolf form at any point, even if it isn't a full moon. Since I'm immortal, I could take the wolf form and battle him. I may not be able to kill him, but at least it would buy us some time."

"You'd be killed in seconds." Zinkata pointed out. "He can summon silver, remember?" Olose wasn't used to being vulnerable, so fell quiet, contemplating this.

"I have an idea." Vivli said, looking up. "I can rescue my father!" She suddenly seemed to get more enthusiastic. "It's a long shot! I'll need you guys to protect me while we do it!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Bootus asked.

"Lich is possessing my father, right?" She said.

"Yes." Came the confirmation from the group.

"I can save him! It hasn't been done in decades, but I know it can be done. The monastery has done it before. It's always been the job of white mages. I know I can do it!" She wiped the tears from her eyes, thinking more carefully.

"Do what?" Bootus yelled impatiently. Vivli took a deep breath. She knew it would sound silly, but what choice did they have?

"I want to perform an exorcism."


	9. IX

**PART IX**

"What?" Bootus cried in disbelief.

"No. You can't." Arcane stated.

"Why not?" Vivli said in shock at the reaction. "It's the only way we can save Dad."

"Vivli, this isn't some story you read." Zinkata tried to explain. "The demon isn't going to just sit there and shout at you. Here, we're dealing with a monster that will kill you if you get close. There's no way you can perform one while fighting it."

"That's why I need you guys to distract him!" Vivli cried desperately.

"Vivli, it is too dangerrrrrous." Arcane purred. "I cannot have you endangerrrring you're life. I've already lost Crrrrrruth to that crrrrreature." Vivli took a step forward, standing in the middle of the group.

"Don't you guys get it?" She called. "Lich will destroy all of us. For Altana's sake, this isn't going to be a problem we can solve through violence! You saw what he did to us! We have nothing to protect us this time! He can keep functioning in that body even if we kill it. Please, we have to try this."

"Can you do it?" Olose asked quickly.

"I-I-I think so." Vivli stammered. "I mean, nobody's done one in decades, but it shouldn't be too complex."

"Sounds like our only option." The werewolf decided.

"You'rrrre insane!" Arcane cried. "You're going to let my daughter kill herself?"

"I'll be by herrrr side." Dedji purred. "I won't let any harrrrm come to her."

"I'll be there." Olose pointed out.

"We will, of course." Zinkata input.

"This is insanity." Grumbled Arcane.

Vivli was sat in the hold of the ship bound for Seblina. The decision had been made to head to San D'Oria, in an attempt to find Lich. Despite her plan, she hadn't thought where he may have gone. Of course, the actual reason was Arcane had insisted they headed to San D'Oria so that Vivli could fully research her skills, and make sure she could cast it effectively. She was reading a book she had that covered the subject matter. She was petrified. According to the book, most of the mages that attempted it either died in the process or ended up possessed themselves. She had argued for a long time to persuade the others that this was possible, but now she was afraid. Now it seemed like she might have been wrong. She broke down into tears.

Everything had finally started to look up. She had friends, they had saved the world, she found her parents, but it all went wrong. She was actually happy, for a moment. For a moment, everything was okay. But she wasn't even allowed an hour of happiness before something interfered. Before something tore apart her happiness and stole her father, and almost killed her. She sighed miserably. It was if her entire life existed only to be misery.

"Oh Altana," She asked the Goddess in prayer, "What did I do wrong? Why do I deserve this?" There was silence. "How do I even know you're up there?"

"Isn't before casting an exorcism a bad time to lose faith?" Olose asked, walking over. She quickly wiped away her tears with the bottom of her robe, and tried to look at normal as possible.

"I-I have faith." She managed to say.

"Doesn't sound like it." Olose told her. "And believe me, I've seen mages lose their faith. I've seen people die trying to perform these exorcisms. And I don't want you to do it."

"You don't?" Vivli asked.

"No." Olose stated. "But I can see you have to. For yourself more than anything. You've been through so much, I can't imagine what would happen if your father died." Olose regretted mentioning this as Vivli burst into tears at the thought. He held her to try and calm her down. "That won't happen. I have confidence in you. You can do this."

"I can't." She sobbed. "It's too difficult. White mages far more accomplished than I am have died trying."

"Viv, if anybody can do it it's you." Olose looked into her eyes. Vivli tried to smile, but failed miserably.

Two yellow eyes were blazing the shadowy darkness.

"You're bodies." Growled a voice.

"Excellent." Lich spoke up. "You have done well." The Shadow Lord formed before Lich.

"I had to slaughter many of my own beastmen for this." The Shadow Lord warned. "I hope you are aware of the price."

"The price?" Laughed Lich. "There is no price. These are my subjects now. Vana'diel will fall to me."

"To us." The Shadow Lord reminded him.

"Are you so blind?" Lich laughed. "Yes. Of course. Blinded by your shadow. Ruling Vana'diel is no group effort."

"Be warned, Lich, I do not fear you like I feared your master." The Shadow Lord growled.

"My master? Chaos was a fool. Born of the fiends as we were born of him." Lich let out yet another laugh. "He is a pathetic worm next to my power."

"Do not betray me, or I will destroy you." The Shadow Lord warned.

"Destroy me?" Lich asked incredulously. "You my friend were a mere puppet. You are obsessed by power. The slightest hint that I can give you the world and you came running. You slaughtered the camp and stole the bodies, just for me. Did you really expect me to share with you?"

"If you wish to die instead, so be it!" The Shadow Lord flung dark energy at Lich. He levitated back into the air.

"I am growing ever more powerful!" Lich warned. "Allow me to demonstrate. See the power of my magic. See the power of Nuke. The greatest spell of ancient times." Lich fired the spell downwards, and the Shadow Lord exploded in flames.

Vivli had been studying all the way to San D'Oria. More than once she had almost walked into a goblin, absorbed in the book she was reading. She was now confident she could cast the exorcism spell. Of course, one of the first warnings in the book was that an exorcism is _not _a spell, and the exorcist must simply call upon the goddess Altana and beg for her help. The fact that Vivli still thought of it as a spell just reminded her that she was still completely unprepared.

Having arrived in the elvaan capital, she had headed straight to the city library while the others attempted to gain an audience with the King. Since they had Olose, a friend of the King, the Light Warriors and the Queen of Kazham with them they figured it wouldn't be difficult. This left Vivli alone in the gigantic library, reading everything she could about possession, demons, exorcisms, and the general darker side of the world. As if she didn't already have enough things she was scared of. Her doubt was growing. It seemed every successful past exorcism was performed by a tarutaru (always noted for being the most powerful race when it came to magic). The odds were ridiculously against her, and she wasn't particularly good when it came to luck.

In the King's chamber, things were not going much better.

"Allow me to make sure I fully understand this." The King began. "You are telling me that the Fiend of the Earth which was resurrected in your battle with Chaos a million years ago has possessed the king of Kazham, acquired himself an army of invincible undead and orcs and is planning to attack the city?"

"We're only speculating on the attack." Bootus felt it was useful to input.

"And that our only hope is for a young white mage to cast an unpractised spell that hasn't been used to generations on the fiend while avoiding being destroyed?" The King was in disbelief.

"That's the general idea of it, your highness." Zinkata said nervously.

"It's not really a spell." Olose input.

"And to top it off, you instruct me to _not _fight the fiend?" The King had to double check this.

"If I'm right," Olose felt he should explain, "Then the attackers will not die. Lich is a master bone craftsman, his undead warriors will not die. They will march on the city and take it, slaughtering all in the way if they have to."

"What Olose is saying, your highness, is it is better to live defeated than die fighting." Zinkata explained.

"That is somewhat debatable." The King shot back.

"I agree." Voldos wanted to side with his King, but couldn't betray his friends. "But if they do attack, and we do surrender, we can fight back at a more appropriate time. I say we pull all non-vital citizens out of the city, and move them to Seblina. It would be the safest option."

"You want a mass evacuation of San D'Oria?" The King exclaimed.

"All the nations." Zinkata pointed out.

"All four nations to empty? It's unheard of. It can't be done." The King seemed in utter disbelief.

"I believe if an attack is launched, it would make most sense to take out San D'Oria first. It is the toughest target, and so Lich's primary goal will be to conquer it."

"Isn't an established strrrrrategy to take out the weakerrrrr tarrrrgets firrrrst?" Dedji asked.

"Not with Chaos or the Fiends." Zinkata laughed. "They'd target the strongest. A show of power."

"I have dealt with many ridiculous requests and suggestions in my time but this is-" The King was cut off as a messenger ran into the room.

"My lord! My lord!" He cried. "An army has been seen amassing near the plateau!"

"What?" The King exclaimed.

"Orcs. But they aren't normal. They won't die. They wiped out our entire battalion and not a single one fell! We sliced them to pieces, but they kept coming. Arms, legs, heads, just moving." The messenger was panting, and clearly wounded.

"Do you not see?" Zinkata asked.

"San D'Oria has never been breached." The King stated, choosing to ignore the orcish attack a few months back.

"There is a firrrrrst time for everrrrrrything, yourrrr highness." Arcane put in.

"This is the only way we can win." Olose told him. "Meaningless death in this war will not help. It will just strengthen Lich's numbers. But if we surrender, he will not kill us. He will not waste potential resources fighting. At least not until he's conquered the whole of Vana'diel, and that gives us time to come up with a counter strategy." The King took a deep breath. He was about to make the most difficult decision of his reign.

"Guards!" He cried. Two guards entered. "Order all civilians to leave the city at once." He paused, the weight of his words setting in. "We are evacuating San D'Oria."

"What about the army sir?" The messenger cried in disbelief.

"Wait until the citizens have safely made it to Seblina, and then send a message that the Kingdom of San D'Oria stands down."

"WHAT?" The guards exclaimed.

"This is not a battle we can win by strength." The King echoed the words of the Light Warriors. "We must surrender now if we want a chance to win later. A dead city is no use to anyone but the evil Fiend himself. Tell them we stand down and will accept their occupation."

"Y-y-yes sir." The guard could barely believe it.

Vivli felt a gentle rocking. It just made her want to sleep more. Somebody shouted something and she startled awake, hunched on a table in the library.

"Wake up!" Bootus roared. "We need to go."

"Go? Go where?" She whimpered.

"They're evacuating the city." Zinkata explained. "Lich's army is coming and it cannot be stopped."

"San D'Oria has surrendered." Voldos said, in disbelief.

"We have to get out of here." Olose told the little mithra. "If they catch us here, they'll bring us in front of Lich himself."

"Isn't that what we want?" Vivli asked. Silence fell over the crowd.

Zinkata finally decided to take charge.

"Olose. You take Dedji and Arcane safely away from here." He ordered.

"What?" Dedji cried. "I can take carrrrre of myself!"

"It is dangerous. We'll need you to watch over the retreating citizens anyway." Zinkata paused letting the words sink in. "Olose, your immortality should be useful when it comes to protecting them."

"And you four?" Olose inquired.

"Lich won't conquer a surrendered city. At least, not until he has spent all he resources in the war that is to come. We'll see if we can see him." Zinkata turned to Vivli. "And give him a little persuasive speaking."

"This is nuts." Olose sighed.

"Isn't everything we do." Voldos laughed.

"Very well." Olose commented. "I'll lead them away."

"Vivli!" Arcane walked over to her. "You be carrrreful. Come back alive."

"I will." She replied as bravely as she could. She was actually used to people being overprotective of her. Most people had to be.

"Let's split up then." Zinkata said.

The four Light Warriors could but watch as the skeletal beastmen marched into the cities, shoving guards aside and taking their place. They spoke with an angry growl, repeating the same message.

"San D'Oria now belongs to the great Empire of the Fiends. All shall fall under its flag." It was Voldos who felt the most pain, seeing each troop walk within the walls of his beloved city. They took up positions guarding. The four retreated into the library. They could but listen outside as the message was repeated.

"This is one helluva gamble." Bootus grumbled.

"At least it's just us four again." Voldos was almost smirking.

"Just like old times." Sighed Zinkata.

"The streets are lined with beastmen." Voldos muttered. "The greatest nation has fallen. I don't see it as being like old times."

"Greatest nation my foot!" Bootus laughed.

"Although some things remind me of it." Voldos half sighed, half laughed.

"What are we planning?" Vivli asked, craning her neck to look up at Voldos.

"Urm. Good question." The elvaan said.

"We sit tight and lay low." Zinkata explained. "We'll wait for things to settle so when we stir up trouble they won't just kill us on the spot, but send us to Lich."

"Why would they send us to Lich?" Bootus asked.

"We're the Light Warriors, remember?" Zinkata smiled. "He'll want to finish us off in person." Outside they heard a loud ruckus.

They ran to the window to see the King, kneeling before the floating figure of Lich. Voldos instinctively bolted for the door.

"No!" Hissed Zinkata. "We have to take him when he's alone."

"Hand power over to me!" Insisted Lich. "Give me San D'Oria! Step down as King!"

"You'll never make me do such a thing!" The King protested.

"Do I have to kill your subjects?" Lich asked. "Do not think I wont. You're surrender was nice, certainly wiser than the Shadow Lord." The King was chilled.

"You defeated the Shadow Lord?" He gasped.

"A mere insect when compared to my might. Now. Hand over power." The King reluctantly removed his crown, passing it to Lich.

Voldos turned away. He could not watch his nation's fall any longer.

"No." He bitterly said to himself. "This can't be happening."

"It's only temporary." Zinkata reassured him. "We will succeed." Zinkata peered out the window.

"Seblina." Lich confirmed to his troops. "They will be hiding in Seblina. We will secure San D'Oria, and then crush what is left of the elvaan nation. If they do not surrender, they shall die and fight on my side!"

Zinkata turned back to the heroes.

"We have to be fast."


	10. X

**PART X**

San D'Oria was in bad shape. Skeletal orcs lined every street. The few that had remained in the city were allowed to go about their business, provided they were all inside before night fell and that they never left the city. Anybody who resisted was struck down by the guards. The King had refused to leave, and was imprisoned within the Chateau. In the middle of this, the Light Warriors began to hatch their scheme.

The four were still gathered in the library. The evil guards hadn't entered, but were guarding outside.

"So, how do we get to Lich?" Voldos asked. "Without being killed for being rebels?"

"If we can get the guards to recognise who we are, they'll take us straight there." Zinkata explained. "Guess now is time to find out. Ready Viv?" He inquired.

"Not in the slightest." Vivli replied with what appeared to be a weak smile.

"Well, let's get this over with." Voldos sighed, and they swung open the door to the library.

The skeletal orcs instantly span around to face them.

"You have not been registered." One droned.

"Registered? Lich is registering citizens now?" Bootus asked in confusion.

"Registration promotes effectivness." The guard spoke as if reciting lines.

"That means he's seeing who's a threat." Zinkata filled in the blanks.

"Identify yourself!" The skeletal guard ordered.

"The Light Warriors." Zinkata answered nervously. The guards quickly lowered spears to their chests.

"Well," Bootus commented as they marched through the skeleton lined streets, "You're plan is working."

"Indeed." Zinkata replied. Lich's minions had stripped them of their weapons and any extra armour components, and had marched the party to the main gates of the chateau. One of the guards jabbed Zinkata in the back, and he leapt through the doors. "Polite aren't they?"

"If we die, I'm blaming you." Vivli whispered.

"Hey, this is your idea." Voldos reminded her.  
"Don't remind me!" Vivli snapped.

"Hey, Viv, we've had our disagreements in the past," Bootus began, "But if you frack this one up, I'm fully justified in arguing with you."

"Aw, and for a moment I thought you were going to say something nice." Vivli grumbled.

"Shouldn't you be preparing yourself?" Zinkata asked.

"I'm petrified. I'm trying not to think about it." Vivli admitted.

"That's not the best way to do things." Zinkata remarked as the four were thrown into the throne room.

Lich, still in the body of Cruth, which was now considerably paler, and still with the glowing eyes, resided on the throne of the King, the crown on his head.

"Well," He remarked. "I cannot say that I am surprised."

"Lich. You haven't won." Zinkata warned.

"I don't see why I haven't. The Kingdom is mine, the King has officially handed over power and now resides in the dungeons and I am preparing to finish off this puny world." Lich laughed.

"We can stop you." Zinkata stated, standing as strongly as he could.

"Please?" Lich laughed again. "You think you could defeat me? Here? Now?"

"Why? You too scared to find out?" Zinkata shot back.

"Bah!" Lich began to float in the air. "Very well. Guards! Leave us!" The guards marched out and sealed the throne room doors. "You shall all perish as you have chosen!"

Bootus rushed Lich, but the evil fiend blasted the galka back effortlessly. Vivli took in a deep breath.

"Oh, our mother, the goddess Altana, who looks down on us from Heaven," She began to speak. She was trying to sound commanding, but her voice was naturally soft and the air that came across was unimpressive. Zinkata leapt at Lich, and Lich blew him away with a fireball and a loud laugh.

"Pathetic!" Announced the fiends.

"And of whom we are but unworthy servants," Vivli continued. "Hear my call." Lich turned to Vivli.

"Oh, very cute." He snarled as he began to figure out their plan. He threw a fireball at her. Vivli screamed as she saw it coming. Bootus leapt and knocked her aside just as the fireball soared past the pair.

"Try not to get killed until after this is done. Please?" Bootus said irritably. Vivli got up and started to rethink her position.

"Hear my call." She repeated. "I need you now, for the sake of myself, the four nations of the land and for the unfortunate soul trapped here today."

"Unfortunate soul?" Lich repeated in bemusement. "You are the unfortunate ones!" Voldos fired arrows, thumping into the body of the fiend. "You're killing him. Keep it up." Lich warned. Vivli tried to focus. She attempted to ignore the monster.

"Lend me your power and allow me to channel your beliefs. Look down on us today and help us. Remove from this vessel the unclean spirit that clogs it." Voldos ran and leapt at Lich, tackling him. The two tumbled to the floor. Something caused Voldos to fly back as he soared past Vivli and slammed into the wall. She gulped and attempted to refocus herself. "Oh Altana, hear my cry, do not abandon me now. For the good of your creation, of all your creations, and this poor soul before us today, lend me your strength."

"Strength? What would a little girl like yourself know about strength?" Lich asked, approaching Vivli. Zinkata leapt at him, but was blown aside. Vivli thought back to the books. 'Don't listen to the demon. They are the fathers of lies. They will seek to poison your mind. They will attempt to deceive you. To break you. The battle is mental, not physical. Do not listen.' She turned to Lich, trying not to focus on his words. "Well? You're feeble and pathetic. Once I slaughter your friends, I will kill you slowly." Bootus pounded Lich back before lightning struck him, taking him out. Voldos got up from the rubble.

"I could use a heal here." The elvaan whimpered.

"No. We can't distract Vivli." Zinkata told Voldos.

"The power of Altana compels you!" Vivli cried. "The power of Altana compels you!" She repeated, a mixture of trying to emphasise it and the fact she was panicking.

"You're losing it, little girl." Lich laughed. "Focus." He smirked as he advised her.

"Great, now the bad guy is giving her advice." Bootus grumbled. "We're doomed."

"No! Come on Vivli! You can do this! We believe in you!" Zinkata decided to be a little more optimistic.

"The power of Altana compels you!" Vivli repeated, this time gaining volume and strength in her voice.

"It really doesn't." Hissed Lich, casually blasting Zinkata way.

"In the name of our mother, Altana, the holy spirit," Her voice was gaining volume. "Unclean spirit," She took a deep breath and felt the power flow through her. "I CAST YOU OUT!" Her voice boomed with energy far beyond that which she could naturally produce. There was a gigantic crackle of yellow electricity. Every door in the Chateau blew open and every window and piece of glass exploded. The yellow electricity tore into the ceiling as a burning wind gushed throughout the stony walls. Vivli collapsed. Cruth's body fell to the ground, shaking.

Zinkata rushed to Vivli and Voldos rushed to Cruth. Bootus just watched. Cruth slowly opened his eyes.

"He's alive!" Announced Voldos, bleeding from his injuries.

"She's not!" Zinkata screamed back. Voldos bolted over. "I don't think. She's cold. Freezing." Even Bootus ran over in concern.

"That's not normal." He remarked. Cruth had managed to get up and ran over to join the gathered heroes.

"No!" He wept. "No! I will not lose my daughter like this! No! We have so much we've missed! So much to catch up on!" He paused as tears flowed down his face. "So much I owe you! Do not die now!" Vivli's eyes opened with a gasp of energy. Cruth, unbelievably relieved, held her tightly in his arms.

"What happened?" She asked weakly.

"You just doomed the world." Crackled a voice.

The five looked around, and there stood a tall skeleton. A ragged and torn purple robe hung from his body. He growled as he observed his own hand.

"Lich?" Vivli cried in disbelief. "No! It can't be!"

"Can't be?" He laughed. "You're pathetically foolish."

"Stop saying things like that!" Voldos protested. "It's just plain mean."

"You see, it was impossible for me to regain my full power." He began to explain as villains had a habit of doing. "I was powerful enough to crush pathetic fools like The Shadow Lord you so fear, but I knew that it was only a matter of time before that, _vessel,_" He spat at Cruth, "Failed me. But I knew there was hope. I had to find somebody gullible enough to cast me from his body and free me." He turned to Vivli. "You? You really think you could exorcise me?" He roared in laughter. "It's pathetic. _You _are pathetic. I simply needed you to give me a push. I didn't need to fight it. I simply allowed you to force me out. A weakling like you couldn't achieve anything." Lich paused. "Well, except the death of the world it would seem." Vivli was in shock.

"No." She whispered. "No. No. No." She just kept repeating the word.

"Of course, now I must kill you and get on with ending this pathetic planet. I believe you are already familiar with the spell Nuke. Want to see it again?" He waved his hand and a fiery energy began to crackle around him.

"RUN!" Zinkata commanded.

Four bolted for the door. Vivli weakly struggled to move, but collapsed the energy drained from her body. Bootus skidded, and sprinted back, grabbing her and pulling her away and into one of the stony corridors just as Lich cast his spell. The room exploded and fire gushed down the corridors. The party threw themselves on the floor only to have the fire wash over them. Bootus was the first to look up.

"Don't think that rescue comes free." He told the tiny mithra. "You seriously owe me."

"Can we sort out debts later?" Zinkata requested. "Lich isn't done with us!"

"Can you stand?" Cruth quickly asked Vivli. Of course, the stereotypical answer would be 'yes' or 'I think so'. Vivli was more honest.

"No." She whimpered. Cruth helped her to her feet. Bootus just lifted her up, holding her above her head. "This is familiar." She sighed.

"_Now can we run?_" Requested Voldos.

"Lets." Zinkata said. The five sprinted down the stone corridor.

Not a moment too soon either, as a lightning bolt struck fiercely against the stone behind them.

"Run, heroes, run!" Taunted Lich. "You will never escape!" The five bolted down the corridor and out a door. They found themselves in the garden of the chateau.

"There's no way out from here!" Voldos cried.

"There has to be!" Zinkata yelled. "And we need to find one now!"

"Up?" Suggested Cruth.

"Any idea how?" Bootus asked.

"Climbing is the traditional way." Cruth ran to the edge of the garden, where vines had began to grow on the walls. He leapt between them and ran to the top.

"Bloody mithran agility." The galka muttered. "What about Vivli?" She was unconscious again.

"Throw her?" Zinkata suggested. Everybody stared at him. It wasn't a very Zinkata-ish suggestion. "What? She's unconscious. She'll never find out." Bootus sighed and obeyed. Cruth managed to catch her, so she wasn't hurt too badly. The three heroes managed to scale the wall and leapt from the Chateau into the moat below.

Cruth hauled Vivli out of the water, and the other three clambered out.

"We have to keep moving." Cruth advised.

"I thought male mithra were meant to be peaceful and weak?" Bootus inquired, panting.

"Ha. Who started that myth?" Cruth asked, looking down the streets. "We don't' hunt because of genetics. There are far less of us you see."

"Never would have noticed." Voldos sighed sarcastically.

"That's because you only notice things with breasts." Zinkata smirked as the party bolted down an alley. It was getting dark, which gave them valuable cover.

"Gates are blocked." Bootus commented as they saw them. "Shut and guarded."

"Damn." Zinkata cursed. Vivli slowly began to wake up.

"What's happening?" She mumbled.

"I think we're in trouble." Zinkata gave in answer.

"The gates are guarded." Cruth explained to his daughter. "We can't get out that way."

"Guards?" Vivli weakly repeated. "We have to fight our way out."

"What did you say?" Voldos suddenly cried, surprised.

"Fight. It's our only way." Vivli had managed to get to her feet. "We can't stay here. Lich won't be far behind. The entire city will be looking for us soon."

"Well, when Vivli suggests we fight, it must be our only option." Bootus laughed.

"I have no idea how we're going to win this one." Zinkata admitted. "But I guess we're about to find out."

The five approached the gate confidently. The two skeletal guards turned to them.

"You are not permitted to leave." One guard told the five warriors.

"We know." Zinkata said.

"We also know we're going to leave anyway." Cruth input.

"Identify yourself!" The guard snapped.

"They just recite lines." Sighed Voldos.

"It's the only way Lich can control them." Zinkata guessed. "They aren't alive. They have no emotions or feelings. They just recite lines and carry out functions."

"Identify yourself!" The guard cried again. Zinkata took a step up to it, eyeing the guard. It was a skeleton, still covered with flesh peeling from it. Its eye sockets glowed a gentle, barely noticeable, green. Old beaten orcish armour hung from its body.

"We're your enemy." Zinkata announced.

"Then you will be exterminated!" The guard drew a sword and slashed at Zinkata. The warrior leapt back, but the guard kept coming. It caught him across the chest and Zinkata fell. The creature faltered as Vivli cast banish on it. The second ran in, and Bootus threw himself in front of it, pounding it back. Cruth ran in, stealing the sword from it and throwing it to Zinkata. Zinkata cut off the arm clutching the blade of the first guard. This guard hit the warrior in the face with its remaining arm. Voldos dove down, grabbing the sword (and the arm). The arm sprang into life, throttling the elf.

Vivli ran and tried to pull it off, but failed. Cruth joined the two.

"Hold it out." He instructed. Vivli pulled on it so it was out straight. Cruth took Voldos's sword and swung it down, smashing the arm in two. The fractured pieces scattered across the floor. Voldos gasped for air as the arm reformed and scuttled to the guard that was keeping Zinkata busy. Bootus got hit in the chest and stumbled back as the skeletal guard took its turn to pound him. The galka managed to summon up one punch and hit off its head. The skeleton kept coming.

"Open the gates!" Screamed Zinkata. Vivli ran to them and tried to push them.

"They're too heavy!" She whined.

"Try the lock!" Zinkata groaned.

"Don't act so clever!" Vivli snapped as Zinkata was getting pounded by the skeleton. "I don't have a key." Bootus charged the door, slamming into it. He grabbed the chained lock, and yanked on it.  
"Zinkata! Sword!" He snapped.

"I kinda need it." Zinkata was bleeding heavily, and being pounded back by the unstoppable guard. Blindly swinging his sword was his only defence.

"Just give it to me!" He threw it, and as he did, he was slammed to the floor. Bootus repeatedly bashed the lock until it fell to pieces. He threw himself at the heavy doors and forced them open. Vivli breathed a sigh of relief. _That saved me the embarrassment of trying _she thought.

"Come on!" Cruth yelled, running to the door. "We are leaving!"

"Little help!" Zinkata groaned on the floor. The skeleton was on top of him, hitting him. Voldos was busy fighting the legs and torso, now separated, of the guard he had been battling. The head snapped at him along the ground. He kicked it away and cut down the torso. It quickly began to reconstruct as he ran to Zinkata. He cut the guard in two, leaving two parts both scrambling after Zinkata. The five bolted out of the door. Bootus pushed it, sealing it. The five heroes bolted out of the door.

They ran into the darkness, leaving the occupied city of San D'Oria behind them, and the seemingly unbeatable Lich and his army to plan their next move.


	11. XI

**PART XI**

Olose sat back and looked out over the sea. Seblina was quickly becoming fortified. In the previous day, everything had gone to hell. The attack on San D'Oria prompted huge reactions from the other three nations, who in turn instantly began to prepare themselves for war. In turn, the elvaans had sent off three messengers to relay the true information and warn the nations of the true nature of the battles that were to come. Olose had stayed behind, originally mobilising the defences of Seblina, but now he was busy preparing the ships to leave. They had come to a decision, under the guidance of Arcane, to retreat. They knew Lich would find them, and decided that retreating across water would at least buy them some time.

The small town of Seblina fell into view for the Light Warriors. They were exhausted from running and the battles of the previous day. Vivli had passed out, her body still drained from the exorcism. This left her being carried in the hands of the rather unfriendly galka.

"Lich let her do it and it still almost killed her." Bootus had grumbled. "Some white mage." This had led to Cruth hitting him in the face. In turn, this left Voldos and Zinkata in hysterics. At least there was still some humour left in the increasingly dark world the heroes found themselves in.

The five wondered into town, arriving at a poorly (i.e.: quickly) constructed gate. Guards from above drew bows and pointed it at the heroes.

"Urm." Zinkata mumbled. "We're good guys?" He offered.

"We're not taking risks!" One elvaan called down. "Who are you?"

"They'rrrrre frrrrriends." Dedji was the other guard. "Let them in!" The gate swung open and the five wondered in.

Dedji instantly ran and hugged Cruth.

"Father! You'rrrrre alive!" She screamed happily.

"Thanks to Vivli." Cruth replied, smiling.

"Vivli? What happened to herrrr?" Dedji looked over her unconscious body.

"Just exhaustion." Zinkata explained. "From the exorcism."

"You succeeded?" Dedji cried desperately.

"No." Came the crushing answer. "Well, yes., but it isn't over."

"What Zinkata is trying to say," Bootus began, "Is that Vivli here managed to free Lich so now he has his body back. She walked right into his trap."

"_We _walked into his trap." Zinkata reminded him.

"I blame her." Bootus grumbled.

"You would!" Remarked Voldos. Arcane ran over and hugged Cruth, before turning to the heroes.

"I assume your plan has not succeeded?" She inquired. Zinkata sighed. He decided to gather everybody and explain before attempting to continue.

After the explanation had been given to the assembled crowd, they all sat back in murmurs.

"The Light Warriors have betrayed us!" One cried.

"Yeah! We trusted them! Now we've lost our homes!" Another cried.

"How could we have trusted you?" A third yelled. "You've brought death to us all!"

"How darrrre you?" Spat Arcane far louder than anybody thought possible. "They've risked their lives for us more times than you dare to dream!"

"So what now?" Another called out. "If they're so great, what do they propose?" Here Olose stepped forwards.

"Our scouts report the land around San D'Oria is beginning to die." The crown booed and roared with disapproval. "If this is happening, Lich must be drawings its power. I theorise he has rebuilt the Earth Crystal, and is using it to drain the land and give power to his troops." Olose paused as the irony gripped him. "The original Light Warriors fought with everything they had to save the crystals. We must fight to destroy them."

"Them?" Somebody picked up. "There's more?"

"I can only theorise." Olose reminded him. "But it seems likely that Lich is planning to rebuild all four crystals to effectively finish off the world."

"So what do we do?" Someone else in the crowd asked.

"We have to destroy the Earth Crystal. We have to attack San D'Oria." Olose explained.

"San D'Oria will not fall! It's a fortress of a city! We built it that way!" An elvaan yelled.

"We launch a covert strike. The Light Warriors and myself." Olose told the group. "My immortality puts me on evens with the skeletal troops of Lich, and the Light Warriors can destroy the crystal."

"And just how will you get into San D'Oria to achieve this?" Another sceptic asked.

"Assistance has arrived from Bastok." Olose turned to someone just out of sight of the crowd. "Cid, please take over."

Cid, a bald man in his late forties, stepped forwards. An expert at working machinery from Bastok, Cid pointed to the gigantic sheeted object behind him. Most people had assumed this was some weapon under construction for the defence of Seblina, and so had paid it little attention.

"I present to you the latest in flight technology." He began, pulling back the sheet. "I give you, the _Raven_!" A small black airship sat there. It's hull had the look of a small boat, but it was entirely black. The front of it had a spiked golden beak, with golden patterns weaved back across the walls at the edge of the airship. A small cabin sat proudly at the back. Two propellers reached into the sky from the top of it, two smaller ones were placed on the back and tiny ones were lined along the side. "The fastest and most nimble airship to ever have been constructed. Armed with two cannons, capable of rotating to fire in any direction, it can easily penetrate an occupied city, land, and then fly out again in mere minutes." The audience (and the Light Warriors) were stunned. "It was designed to be Bastok's ultimate display of their supremacy in the air, but it appears it is far more needed now." Olose stepped forwards to take over again.

"Using the _Raven_, we can penetrate San D'Oria and destroy the crystal." Olose explained.

"You make it sound easy." Zinkata muttered under his breath.

Suddenly a wounded mithra ran into the crowd.

"Listen!" She yelled. "Listen! Kazham has been attacked!"

"What?" Vivli, Dedji, Arcane and Cruth all cried together.

"It has been attacked! Invincible skeletons!" He ranted.

"Why would they attack Kazham?" Dedji cried in disbelief.

"Oh no." Olose stated as he figured it out. "Oh no. This is very very bad."

"We know!" Cruth yelled.

"I mean, Kazham was not the target. No. It was in the way. The Temple of Uggalepih is near. They wanted the Temple of Uggalepih!" Olose's mind was racing, figuring out the puzzle. "No! This is bad." He grumbled.

"What is it?" Bootus asked irritably.

"Don't you see? The Temple of Uggalepih had inside the orb Chaos used to go back in time!" Olose ranted. "The same orb he used a million years in the past to regenerate the orbs that led to Lich's resurrection."

"So?" Bootus laughed. "It's lost a million years in the past."

"No." Olose stated. "It's here. Now. In the present. Chaos used it to propel himself back in time, but the orb he used still exists now. Lich must have acquired it. He must be planning to use it to resurrect the other fiends! And when he does, we are all doomed!"

"But the Temple of Uggalepih has been sealed tighter than a vault since the battle there." Vivli pointed out.

"Our troops are no match for Lich's invincible soldiers." Olose paused. "There's something we've overlooked!" He suddenly cried. "We have another ally! Someone who must know more!"

"What?" Zinkata asked. "Explain!"

"The bandits. Why would they want the orb? Why were they trying to steal it?" Olose questioned quickly, getting more passionate as his brain raced.

"Presumably the Shadow Lord manipulated them into freeing Lich." Zinkata guessed.

"No. Lich could free himself. We saw that." Olose paused. "Someone was trying to get the orb to keep it safe. Whoever was manipulating the bandits is on our side, not theirs. And whoever it is, they know more than we do. A lot more. We need to find them."

"What's the plan?" Voldos asked, deciding he had been too quiet for too long.

"We have to stop Lich, whether we know what's happening or not." Olose decided. "Right. We split up. Dedji, Vivli and Bootus head to find these bandits and their leader. Dedji and Vivli are mithra, so that'll get their attention, and Bootus can protect them."

"I can prrrrotect myself!" Spat Dedji.

"Yeah, but Vivli can't." Olose explained.

"And you have no idea what kind of trouble she gets in." Zinkata input.

"We'll take the _Raven _and try to stop Lich through any means necessary." Olose turned to the crowd. "The rest of you, retreat to Mhaura via ship. Set up defences there. That should slow Lich's attack down if he has to cross the ocean to get to you."

After the outline of his plan, the six heroes involved had gathered to sort out and replace their lost equipment.

"You can't do this." Vivli advised. "You'll all be killed."

"What?" Olose asked.

"This. Going off to confront Lich with no plan or strategy. It's insane!" She cried. "Let us plan. Let us contact the bandit leader and find out what he knows."

"We can't. No time." Olose told her. "You're our backup. If we die, you've got to take over."

"What? You're not going to die! You can't!" She was almost crying just considering losing her friends. "Don't! Be careful! Don't do anything stupid! If Lich is too powerful, run away. Just don't die. I need you." Zinkata turned to Vivli.

"I've got a feeling we're all going to need each other to get through this one." He admitted.

"We'll see what we can find out, at least." Voldos said. "Think of us as a scout party. We'll be fine."

"You'd better be." Vivli growled warningly, actually sounding angry.

"So how arrrrre we going to find the bandits?" Dedji asked, trying to draw attention away from her upset sister.

"Last they were seen around Windurst." Zinkata said. "If we use the _Raven _to drop you off, then we can go on our separate ways."

"I hate this plan." Vivli grumbled.

"Don't worry," Voldos smiled, "Bootus is going with you. He'll keep you safe." Vivli pondered this.

"I hate this plan." She grumbled again.

The _Raven _tore through the air at speeds unheard of for a manmade airship in Vana'diel. The flight was a little rough, however, and this led to Vivli spending a large amount of the time throwing up.

"This is worse than a ship on the sea." She commented.

"If all you can complain about at a time like this is feeling sick, then consider yourself pretty luck." Bootus said in response.

"I'm complaining about _being _sick, not feeling sick." She countered smugly. Then she threw up, which kind of ruined her smug look.

"She does have kind of a point." Zinkata sighed. "Olose! Can't you keep this thing stable?"

"We traded stability for speed!" Olose shouted back. "Plus its never been tested."

"That is not what you tell someone who gets airsick!" Vivli cried back.

"Isn't it more generally travel sick?" Bootus inquired.

"This is no time to be picky!" Vivli snapped.  
"There's always time to be picky!" Came the irritating response. Vivli groaned.

"How do we get into these situations?" She found herself asking.

"I thought about that." Bootus admitted. "And I noticed a reoccurring theme. It's always your fault."

"My fault?" Vivli protested.

"Yeah!" Bootus cried back. "Think about it. You were being hunted, so we protected you. Turned out you were a Light Warrior, so we helped you, becoming Light Warriors ourselves. Then you went in search of your parents, and we found out about the orb, which in turn led to us freeing Lich which in turn led to you freeing him from his body and dooming the universe. Always your fault." Bootus crossed his arms, proud of his point. There was a silence, and he heard Vivli sobbing. "Oh come on!" He cried, feeling more guilty than he'd admit. "I was only joking."

"But you're right." She sobbed. "It _is _all my fault."

"Sure it is." He joked. He'd be dammed if he was going to be compassionate. "But if we didn't get to clear it up we wouldn't be the heroes we are today now, would we?" He paused. "Not to mention I'd have nobody to insult, and where's the fun in that?"

"Dunno. Sounds pretty appealing sometimes." Vivli grumbled. The ship lurched again, and she struggled to keep what little food she had left inside of her on the inside.

"I think we're landing." Zinkata said. The ship lurched a second time. "Or crashing."

"Don't say that!" Vivli moaned.  
"We're coming in to land!" Olose cried.

"Told ya." Zinkata beamed. The ship touched down with a lurch. Vivli, who had attempted to stand up moments before, had lurched forwards and threw up over Bootus. He growled.

"Viv, you won't take offence at this, but at times you seem pretty feminine. You had better hope that extends to washing clothes." Vivli paused, pondering this.

"Wait a second, did you just call me girly again?" She cried as she interpreted the insult. Bootus roared with laughter, and even Vivli found herself smiling.

Zinkata and Voldos watched, laughing.

"Is it a bad thing that she seems to cheer up when mad?" Zinkata asked.

"I knew we kept Bootus around for a reason." Voldos joked.

"Ya know, this might be the last time we see them." Zinkata said suddenly.

"Like hell." Voldos smirked. "If Chaos couldn't keep us down, Lich sure won't. And as for them, Vivli's too annoying and Bootus is too stubborn to die. We'll be seeing them again."

"Since when were you the optimistic one?" Zinkata asked.

"I read that one of the four fiends was a woman. She won't resist my charms. I'll just pull a Voldos and she'll be in my arms, and the world will be safe." Voldos explained.

"Voldos, that's Kary." Zinkata told him. "She's half made out of snake."

"Oh." Voldos sadly muttered. "Which half?" Zinkata groaned.

After the landing ramp had been placed down, Dedji, Vivli and Bootus all wondered from the ship. Bootus had changed into a convenient spare gi he had, and Vivli had been forced to put his sick covered one in her own satchel to clean it later. She wasn't too happy about that. The three turned around.

"You guys had better stay safe." Vivli warned.

"Yeah, I'll be dammed if I'm being stuck with her for the rest of time." Bootus joked.

"We'll be fine." Zinkata called down. "We'll be careful too."

"And you do the same!" Voldos instructed.

"We will, Mom." Bootus sarcastically grumbled. "And I'll eat my packed lunch, and make sure I'm in bed before eight."

"Just go, would you." Zinkata grumbled.

"Bye!" Dedji called.

"Goodbye!" Vivli yelled, feeling slightly sad. They turned away as the airship began to beat its rotor blades and lift into the air.

The three departed adventurers watched sadly as the ship flew away.

"Damn that thing's windy." Bootus, of course, ruined the moment.

"Guess we had betterrrr get moving." Dedji growled.

"I guess so." Vivli mumbled sadly, watching as the _Raven _sped away.

The three wondered across the deserts of Windurst, soon coming to a bandit camp. Bootus marched up first, and a bandit stopped him.  
"What do you want?" He asked.

"Urm. Long story." Vivli gulped from behind.

"Those two had better be for us, or you're in trouble." The bandit warned. Vivli and Dedji glanced to each other.

"Say something!" Vivli prompted Bootus.

"Okay, look, I know how corny this sounds." Bootus began. Indeed, in Vana'diel, it was still a very corny line. "But, here I go anyway. Take us to your leader."


	12. XII

**PART XII**

The three were surrounded by a group of six bandits. This had been in case they 'tried anything', as the bandits said. It was completely beyond Vivli what they may want to try since all they wanted to do was see who was their leader.

"I wonder how the others are getting on." She decided to say to Bootus.

"We _do _have linkshells remember." Bootus reminded her, pulling out the little pearl. "This isn't a pretty jewel to put in your hair, ya know?"

"Are you implying I'm girly again?" She asked angrily. Dedji laughed.

"You two arrrrre hilarrrrious." She said. "You should be on stage. You'd make millions of gil as a comedy sketch." Bootus pondered this while Vivli fiddled with the linkshell.

"How do I get it to work?" She asked.

"Well, it might be difficult for you." Bootus began, setting up his joke. "You have to think." Vivli hit Bootus playfully on the arm. It wasn't actually playful, but she couldn't hit very hard and the massive galka felt very little pain at anytime, so it came off that way. Vivli held the jewel, concentrating, and so could hear what was happening on the other side.

"…mask on the floor so I can see, then get the rest on the floor so I can see the rest of ya!" She paused, confused. It was Voldos's voice. She suddenly heard him scream in pain. She figured it out.

"Amazing." She grumbled. "He found someone to hit on in a city occupied by undead unkillable skeletons."

"Shouldn't a mage like yourrrrrself not make up worrrrds?" Dedji inquired.

"Unkillable should be a word." Vivli muttered.

"Well, communicate with them then." Bootus prompted her. "Or are you so incompetent I have to do it myself?"

"Urm, hello?" Vivli said.

"No. _Think_. Stupid girl." Bootus told her. Vivli shot him an angry glance.

"Well how come I could hear Voldos then?" She asked. "If you have to think to communicate?"

"You can hear background noise through the linkshells," Bootus explained, "But Zinkata won't know you're communicating unless you think to him."

"Wow." Dedji said as if she suddenly had an idea. "This must be the ultimate spy gearrrrrr."

Zinkata felt his link pearl vibrate in his pocket. He held it out, and concentrated.

"Urm, hello?" He heard Vivli think. "Am I doing this right?"

"Yeah." He thought back. "How can you be a mage and never have used a linkshell?"

"Don't we have more important things to discuss?" Vivli asked through thought.

"I guess so. How's it going?" Zinkata questioned.

"We're heading to meet their leader now. Apparently he's in a cave near Jeuno." Vivli said to him. "I hate caves. I'm _so _scared, of the dark, of spiders, of everything! And it's all in caves! AHHH!" She added, mentally screaming in fear. Then she paused. "Oh frack, did you hear that?"

"Yeah, you have to be careful." Zinkata told her. "You're communicating your thoughts so I can hear whatever you think."

"Oh frack. Oh frack. Oh frack." Vivli repeated. "Okay. Don't think anything except what I want him to hear. Wait, he'll of heard that. Oh frack."

"You swear a lot mentally you know?" Zinkata told her.

"Well, nobody can hear me." Vivli said back.

"I can." Zinkata pointed out.

"Oh frack." Vivli said again. "Urm. I didn't just think that. You imagined it." She quickly added. "So, urm, how's it going for you guys?"

"Bit of a long story." Zinkata began.

It turned out that they had touched down in San D'Oria, and instantly been attacked. Using the cannons to blast away attacking skeletons, they had leapt from the ship and run into the city. Olose had been forced to stay behind to get the _Raven _away and let them have a means of escape. Bolting down the streets, they had run into more skeletal troops, and it looked like they were in a lot of trouble, before someone opened a sewer hatch and they had jumped down to escape.

They met a hume woman dressed entirely in a tight black suit, masked, and with a rifle. She had a long black braid of hair hanging out the back of her mask.

"Nice assets!" Voldos cried. He quickly paused as he noticed her advancing on him. "Ur, I was talking about the rifle! The rifle!"

"Who are you?" Zinkata quickly asked to calm her down.

"Name's Celphie." She told him. "I'm the leader of the rebel forces here."

"Rebel forces?" Zinkata questioned. "I thought you had all been captured and registered by Lich."

"We set up a rebel alliance down in the sewers, connected to the old dungeons of the Chateau, they stretch far. We're mainly an escape service, helping get the children and non-warriors who were left behind out of here." She paused. "So I'm a little curious as to why you've attacked our city."

"We're the Light Warriors." Zinkata said proudly. "Well, half of them."

"We're here to save the world." Voldos shot in with a wink. She didn't look impressed.

"For the last time Voldos, 'we're here to save the world' is _not _a chat up line!" Zinkata snapped.

"How can you two be so light hearted at a time like this?" Celphie asked in disbelief.

"It keeps us going." Zinkata explained. "After all we've been through, a good laugh now and then keeps us from going insane."

"You sound like your insane already." Celphie pointed out.

"Then we have an excuse to joke and laugh." Zinkata said with a shrug. "Where are the others?"

"We're a small organisation." Celphie admitted. "But what few of us there are hide in the old sewage maintenance room."

"Nice location." Voldos grumbled.

Celphie led the two in. There were many people gathered around, looking at maps, playing with weapons, generally doing whatever rebels do when they're in such a situation.

"So then, Light Warriors, what's your plan?" Celphie asked.

"Generally stumble around for a bit and save the world?" Voldos suggested. Zinkata sighed.

"Ignore him." He muttered.

"Done and done." Celphie said back.

"We're planning to infiltrate the Chateau, and if we can, stop Lich. If not, we need to find out what he's doing and report back to the other Light Warriors so we can prepare a new tactic." Celphie paused as Zinkata finished.

"Good luck." She said. "I don't think it can be done."

"Has someone tried?" Zinkata asked.

"My brother. Andrew. He tried. He was our ex-leader. Nobody's heard from him since." Celphie paused again. "What's worse, I can't go in and rescue him. I'm needed here to oversee the evacuations and make sure they go unseen." Zinkata paused.

"Come with us." He suggested.

"I can't." Celphie pointed out. "I have to help-"

"Come with us anyway." Zinkata told her. "We have an airship. Once we've saved your brother and found out Lich's plan, we'll fight our way out to the airship and get everybody out of the city in one swoop."

"That sounds ridiculously risky." Celphie grumbled. "I can't risk the citizens that way."

"We may have to." Zinkata told her. "It won't be long before Lich marches on Seblina, and then the other nations. And if he decides his troops aren't strong enough, you know where he'll get some more." Celphie paused again, considering this.

"Okay. I'm in." She said. "But we'll have to wait until night fall. It'll keep us covered."

"Good idea." Zinkata said. "What do we do in the meantime?"

"You know," Voldos began, turning to Celphie. "I bet you have some really pretty eyes. Why don't you put that mask on the floor so I can see your eyes, then get the rest on the floor so I can see the rest of ya!" Celphie did a firm kick to Voldos's groin, and he screamed in pain, falling down.

"And that's pretty much what's happened so far." Zinkata thought to Vivli.

"Well, we're approaching the cave now. Good luck." Vivli wished to Zinkata.

"You too." Zinkata paused. "Oh, and be careful about communicating with Voldos. I don't think you want to hear his thoughts." Zinkata pocketed the linkshell and looked down at Voldos.

"So…..much…..pain….." He groaned, still lying on the floor.

Bootus, Vivli and Dedji walked into the dark cave.

"This place seems awfully familiar." Vivli mumbled nervously. It was in bad shape, as if it had been rocked by multiple cave ins.

"Aw, is the little girl scared?" One of the bandits asked.

"If she's scared now she's going to be petrified in a minute." The second said. Vivli stopped, turning to them.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked.

"When you meet our master." The bandit explained. Vivli gulped hard.

"What is this place?" Bootus asked, observing the crates lying around.

"It caved in recently." One of the bandits explained. "We uncovered it and used it as a place to store our 'acquired' goods. Then we met the master."

"Who is he?" Dedji asked, sounding a little on edge herself.

"He is not living." The bandits were having fun scaring the trio. "He died fighting in this very cave. His spirit haunts it, and commands us. We follow him to avoid his wrath."

"A ghost?" Vivli gasped. "I hate ghosts."

"Only because the last ghost we ran into tried to kill us in an epic battle." Bootus mumbled.

"I think that's a perfectly justified reason!" Vivli snapped.

"Hey, we won didn't we?" Bootus shot back.

"Master." The bandit said to the darkness. "These three have requested to speak to you."

"Then let them speak!" Boomed a voice. Vivli recognised it instantly.

"It can't be." She gasped.

The three rebels wondered through the dark sewers of San D'Oria.

"There should be an exit just ahead, comes out near the Chateau's moat." Celphie explained, rifle slung over her shoulder.

"Glad to here the elves keep their moats crystal clear." Zinkata joked. Voldos didn't look happy. Celphie climbed up a rusty ladder and the heroes followed.

The three observed the Chateau. Two guards stood firmly at the entrance.

"How did your brother get in?" Zinkata asked.

"Good question." Celphie gave in response.

"All you two need is a little elvaan ingenuity." Voldos laughed, drawing his bow and arrow. He pulled a length of rope from his satchel and tied it around the arrow.

"Why did you have a rope in your satchel?" Zinkata asked.

"To tie Bootus up and run away if he annoyed me." Voldos answered. He fired the bow and arrow at the top of the chateau. It stuck in neatly. "Now we climb."

"This is stupid." Zinkata grumbled. "It's never going to work."

"You always say that." Sighed Voldos, tying the rope to a nearby post and beginning to climb.

"It just isn't possible." Vivli muttered in confusion. _He died fighting in this very cave, they said. It's caved in. Almost as if a battle was here. But it's not possible. Is it?_

"Hello Vivli." Fiorel said with a smirk. Vivli took a few steps back as the ghostly blue image of the man she considered a brother appeared before her.

"H-h-h-hello." She managed to say. Bootus stared on in awe. Dedji looked confused.

"Who is this perrrrrson?" Dedji asked.

"Fiorel." Vivli whispered. "He raised me, protected me, died for me." She explained.

"Fiorel? I rrrrremember you mentioning him." Dedji gasped. "It is an honourrrrr to meet you."

"What's going on?" Bootus asked confidently.

"In death you learn much." Fiorel began. "Lich's plan is simple, yet deadly. He is gathering the orbs that Chaos had a million years ago. He originally had the Shadow Lord help him. Now he has two. The one he was in has shattered. If he gathers the third, he can resurrect the fiends."

"We guessed that is what he was doing." Dedji said.

"Do you know where the third orb is?" Bootus asked.

"I do. Hidden in Quifim. Lost to the ice." Fiorel explained.

"Then we have to go there and find it before Lich does." Bootus decided.

"What if it smashes and a spirit gets free like it did for Lich?" Vivli asked, concerned.

"The other orbs are dead, remember?" Bootus said as if Vivli was an idiot. Vivli didn't look pleased with his tone of voice. "They're powerless until Lich recharges them."

"It gets worse." Fiorel warned.  
"Why am I not surrrrprrrrised." Dedji sighed.

"The fiends were born of Chaos." Fiorel explained. "And Chaos was born of the fiends."

"What?" Bootus said. "That doesn't make sense."

"It means that if the four fiends are resurrected, they can bring Chaos back." Fiorel told him. "And this time there are no crystal shards to stop him."

"That doesn't sound good." Dedji decided.

"Fiorel." Vivli pleaded. "Come with us. I miss you. Please. We could use your help." Fiorel laughed.

"I can't. As a spirit, I am bound to this place until my purpose is completed." Fiorel's voice began to fade. "And that purpose is to stop Lich. I did everything I could to stop him while he was in he orb, and failed. Now I must help you stop him even though he is free."

"Wait." Vivli suddenly said. "Are you saying if we defeat Lich, I lose you again?"

"I'm already lost." Fiorel told her. "I am but an empty shell relaying information. Now go." Vivli's eyes filled with tears.

"Goodbye Fiorel." She said sadly.

"Remember, your big brother loves you." He told her.

"And your little sister loves you." She said, echoing their final words to each other in life. Bootus and Vivli turned to leave. Dedji stood there firmly.

"Thank you for protecting my little sister." She said to Fiorel. "For when I wasn't there."

"Make sure she stays safe." Fiorel advised.

"I will." Dedji smiled.

A scream penetrated the Chateau. Andrew was strapped to a wooden table. A male hume, now just clad in black trousers with rough black hair. Lich stood before him, hurtling lightning magic at him. He screamed in agony.

"Now, tell me, where are they hiding?" Lich demanded.

"I'll die before I tell you anything!" Andrew screamed in defiance.

"Rest assured you will die." Lich told him. "But first you shall tell me where your rebels are hiding."

"Why?" Andrew laughed. "Worried? Worried if you deploy your troops to sweep the sewers you'll lose control?"

"If I have to extend my troop count by wiping out every last citizen of San D'Oria I will do it." Lich threatened. "Or you can tell me where you are hiding the rebels."

"You'd kill everybody?" Andrew cried in disbelief.

"Oh yes." Lich snarled. "Now, this is the last time I shall ask this. Where are the rebels hiding?" Andrew sighed. He had to answer. He was going to answer.

"Not so fast Lich!" Zinkata cried dramatically. Lich span around to face the trio.

"Well, well, well." Lich laughed. "Look who's back. Up for a second round."

"Release him!" Zinkata ordered.

"Come and free him yourself!" Lich laughed as he summoned a sword made of bone to his hands. Zinkata and Voldos readied their swords. Celphie lifted her rifle. They got ready to do battle.


	13. XIII

**Author's Note: (THIS IS RATHER LONG AND ENTIRELY ABOUT MY LACK OF FFXI UNDERSTANDING IN RESPONSE TO A REVIEW, SO FEEL FREE TO SKIP IT) Well, Someone (literally) gave a review who clearly has a much better knowledge of FFXI lore than I do. I, quite clearly, know very little of FFXI lore. Hell, I'm level 27 in game, you can't expect me to know that much. As far as things go however, I _can _defend certain things. This is me spinning utter crap to excuse my own ignorance, but could work as an excuse: Vana'diel's existence is legend. Myth. What is believed by the majority of Vana'diel is almost like a religion. The belief in a 'mother crystal', the belief Vana'diel only came into existence 120 years ago, it's all a myth/religion (please note: I am not saying all religion is not true, but they can't all be true either). Hence it is not real. In fact, Vana'diel is old and what is believed by many is false. In turn, an alternate religion was the belief in the Light Warriors, Chaos and Gaia, which for the convenience of this story, _is _true.**

**The alternative is to believe that Gaia only died 120 years ago (or however long it was, since you said a few hundred years afterwards I can't figure out what number it was supposed to be. Presumably '1200'), when it compacted and was reborn as Vana'diel. Either way, I apologise for the inaccuracy, and simply don't know enough about Final Fantasy XI lore to stick true to it.**

**As for Kazham never having a King, I don't know if you mean they never had royalty, or they never had a King because they're a female dominated race. If it's the latter, you can believe that 'King' was an honoury title bestowed to the Queen's husband. If it's the former, then….well….crap. I suppose if its that, I can say two things. I can either say that the royal family did something that disgraced them in the eyes of most mithra, so most do not know about it and it is not officially recorded, or I can just ask you really nicely to overlook it.**

**Please note: I freely admit the above is total, for lack of a better phrase, bullshit. I have spun it as an excuse despite the fact I am clearly wrong. This is just so if you really like lore you can hopefully still enjoy the story because I am so totally ignorant of it. I apologise for the inaccuracies, but decided to spin my own story in Vana'diel.**

**To be honest, I'm a little upset it came across as me just using place names. This isn't "Final Fantasy XI The Story', so it's an original story set in Vana'diel, but I had hoped I had created the impression it was an original adventure taking place in the FFXI world, as opposed to me hijacking FFXI place names for my own story. So in that aspect I've failed. I'll see what I can do to improve it, but I'm doubtful it will work.**

**Well, that's my defence I guess, which involved a lot of making up lies to cover for my own mistakes. If you're a lore fan and notice I've made these mistakes, I sincerely apologise. I am _not _ignoring FFXI lore, I simply don't know it. Also please don't take this as a hostile reaction to your comments, it isn't. I simply feel the need to show I appreciate your comments (which I do, I'm extremely appreciative you've read the story) and explain these mistakes. I once said I'd go back and change anything for valid points, but unfortunately, changing it to fit what appears to be true FFXI lore is nigh impossible without writing a whole new story, which would be fairly pointless and a lot of effort. But thank you for pointing that out, and I apologise for making so many mistakes.**

**One final point, it is not the FFI plot in the FFXI world as much as a resurrection of the FFI themes. In this, Final Fantasy I is but a background history that happened a million years ago (which was pointed out impossible). The inspiration from this came from Final Fantasy IX, which implied that the world in which the Final Fantasy games take place is always the same world. (Gaia in FFIX is very much implied to be the same world from FFI, hence why I named it Gaia). In Memoria they mention the world was once covered by a great sea, that washed away what ever had been there before and so when it receded the new world was born. Garland also mentions once having tried to take over Gaia by force (an obvious reference to FFI). So I rather ignorantly tried to extend this to Vana'diel, imagining Vana'diel was also the same world. The actual idea of Chaos returning and there always being Light Warriors was very Legend of Zelda inspired (Ganon always returns and there is always a Link to fight him), so not even that was original. Thanks for the critique though, and I'm sorry I can't correct it within the plot of the story.**

**PART XIII**

It was almost strange walking into Jeuno. The city was perfectly normal. As if the population were completely ignorant of the fate that awaited them.

"So we're headed to Quifim then." Bootus said proudly.

"We can't go now!" Vivli cried, worried. "It's dark."

"Look, we all know you're scared of the dark, but it really shouldn't stop our quest." Bootus grumbled.

"She was rrrrrreferrrrrrring to banshees." Dedji pointed out.

"Banshees?" Bootus questioned. "Sounds like some kind of airship."

"They'rrrrre ghosts." Dedji explained.

"Yeah, undead monsters that roam Quifim and make mincemeat out of groups of adventurers." Vivli added. Bootus turned to Vivli.

"Since when did you know anything about adventuring?" He asked, a little surprised.

"Fiorel used to tell me ghost stories about Quifim to scare me." She shot back.

"Besides," Bootus laughed, "We're Light Warriors, no ghost is a match for us."

"I'll carve that on your tombstone." Vivli muttered as they wondered towards the tunnel leading to Quifim.

Zinkata slammed into a wall, hard.

"I feel the need to point out I blame you for this." Zinkata grumbled in pain. Lich walked towards him, but a rifle bullet tore through him. This made him turn to Celphie. She shot him a few more times, and the fiend advanced on her. Zinkata attacked from behind, and he blocked, turning to face the hero. More bullet shots hit him in the back.

"Urm, little help?" Andrew requested. Voldos ran over, breaking his bonds. Andrew flipped up on the table he was strapped to. "Hey, sis!" He called. "I don't suppose you brought another gun?"

"Sorry!" Celphie yelled, firing. "Just the one!"

"Damn." Andrew muttered. "You really failed to plan ahead." He ran at Lich, hitting him in the back. Lich turned around, grabbing and throwing Andrew back across the room. Zinkata swung his sword, and Lich blocked with his own bone blade. Their swords locked.

"What are you planning Lich?" Zinkata snarled. "What are you up to?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Lich laughed. "When the four fiends are born again, so shall be Chaos. We will yet achieve his dream. You may have saved the past, but the war for the present is just beginning." Lich pushed Zinkata back.

"Chaos?" Voldos laughed. "I hate to break it to you pal, but we kicked his ass last time."

"There are no crystals to save you this time!" Lich laughed. It is a slight coincidence that the heroes here discovered the exact same information from their mortal enemy as Vivli, Bootus and Dedji had found from their greatest friend.

Vivli shivered, deciding her robe was far too thin to keep her warm. Unfortunately, this was one thing she couldn't complain about, as Bootus was in a gi and Dedji in light armour, so both had it far worse than she did. They walked along the snowy path slowly, being careful to avoid angering anything. A frozen lake fell into view.

"According to Fiorel, the banshees won't come onto the lake." Vivli explained. "That's why adventurers can hide there until day comes or they freeze to death."

"You got scared of stories like that?" Bootus laughed. "What a wuss."

"Hey! Stop calling me names!" Vivli protested.

"It isn't verrrrrry nice." Dedji agreed.

"Well, excuuuuuuuuuuuuuse me Princesses." Bootus said with a smirk. Vivli angrily grumbled.

"So, there is an orb beneath the ice here somewhere?" Vivli decided to get the group focusing on their task. "Any idea how we might find it?"

"We could throw you in the lake and see if there's anything underneath." Bootus suggested.

"Let's not do that." Dedji said. Bootus paused.

"Actually, there is plenty of water in that lake. Not all of it is frozen. Go wash my gi." Bootus ordered.

"What?" Vivli gasped. "But it's freezing. I'll freeze!"

"Do it, or I'll call over a banshee and see if they're as tough as you make out. I reckon I could take one." Bootus smirked.  
"Fine! Fine! I'm going! I'm going!" Vivli ran down to the edge of the freezing water and began to wash the gi of the galka.

"I am of the opinion that this isn't going too well." Andrew groaned, lying on the floor in pain. Celphie shot at Lich again.

"I have to agree with my bro there." She cried.  
"We found out what we needed to know!" Zinkata yelled. "Fall back!"

"Running again?" Lich asked with a smirk. "I should have expected as much. Run cowards! Run!" Lich hurled electricity, taking Celphie out.

"SIS!" Andrew turned about, pulling her to her feet. More lightning flew at them. Voldos unleashed arrows, hitting Lich and slowing him down.

"Do I have to give you another display of Nuke?" Lich asked. "Do I?" He fired a lightning bolt, and the archway for the exit caved in, blocking off the four heroes. "Well, well, well. Trapped." Lich paused. "Throw down your weapons and you will not harmed."

"I won't surrender to you, fiend!" Andrew cried.

"We had better do it." Zinkata advised. "It's easier to escape when you aren't dead." He added in a whisper.

"Excellent. Surrender." Lich's skeletal face seemed to twist into a smile. The heroes threw down their weapons with a sigh.

Vivli's teeth chattered. She was covered with freezing water.

"It's c-c-c-c-clean." She managed to say.  
"Good." Bootus replied as he folded his arms. "Now dry it."

"W-w-w-what?" Vivli stuttered in response. "With what?"

"I dunno. Use your robe." Bootus suggested.

"No! No! Screw you! I'm not taking off my robe! Not here! It's freezing!" She shivered.

"I can call the banshee over." Bootus threatened. Vivli threw his gi at him, and the freezing wet gi splashed around the galka's face. Bootus angrily removed it. "That's it! We're fighting a banshee!" He snapped.

"Wait!" Vivli suddenly cried. He paused. "There's something glowing down in the lake."

"What?" Bootus suddenly said.

"If that is the orrrrb, you arrrrre the luckiest adventurrrrerrrrrs in the worrrrld." Dedji commented. The light grew, and suddenly a transparent tentacle shot out of the water, wrapping around Vivli's neck and throttling her. She screamed in horror.

"HEEELP!"

"Definitely not the orb." Bootus muttered. Out from under the water a gigantic ghostly octopus type monster emerged, with multiple tentacles and a fat body, complete with a big monstrous head full of fangs.

"Almost looks like a Krrrrraken." Dedji purred.

"It's not _a _Kraken, it's _the _Kraken!" Bootus yelled.

"The? I thought Kraken were just big sea monsters." Dedji said in confusion.

"The original Kraken was the fiend of the water." Bootus told her.

"SAVE ME!" Vivli bellowed.

"Oh right, forgot about that." Bootus grumbled. He ran at the Kraken ghost, but was swatted away.

"I must thank you Light Warriors." It boomed. "Without you, my spirit was nothing. But as you approached, I was drawn to you. I could manifest myself. And I could get my revenge for my defeat by your predecessors over a million years ago!"

"Yes, yes." Bootus said. "Very nice. Do you know where your orb is?"

"So you seek the orb?" Roared Kraken.

"Getting a bit scared here." Vivli whimpered. Kraken continued on regardless.

"Yes. I have found it. It is with me. I shall take it to Lich and we shall all be reborn into the world physically! Once again I shall rule the oceans!" The ground shook with its roar.

"That will neverrrrrrrrr happen!" Dedji spat, drawing her scythe. Bootus drew his claws. Vivli kicked wildly and screamed a little.

The jail door slammed shut behind them.

"Very nicely done!" Snapped Andrew. "Now he's going to torture the location of the rebels out of us!"

"We had to surrender." Zinkata said calmly. "Sometimes it's better to be given an opportunity to think your way out of a situation than fight."

"Although that is what was recommended last time." Came a voice. "And look what happened." The King of San D'Oria emerged from the darkness. The assembled heroes dropped to one knee.

"Your majesty," Zinkata began, "I'm sorry. We didn't know-"

"Spare it." The King waved his hand. "And get up. This isn't the time for this rubbish. I presume you have an escape plan?"

"I'm working on it." Zinkata remarked.

"You may have to work harder." Celphie suggested. "We don't have long before Lich comes to do whatever he plans to do to us."

"Okay! I'm thinking!" Zinkata cried. "Maybe we could use the linkshells to call for help."

"Yeah, then Vivli could get heroically kidnapped to save us." Voldos said sarcastically.

"She's not _that _bad." Zinkata countered. "Besides, Bootus is with her."

"Yeah, maybe he'll insult Lich enough that he'll go home." Voldos laughed at his own joke.

"I pray to the gods something is distracting them so they don't hear this on linkshell." Zinkata grumbled.

Of course, the others were sufficiently distracted.

"As much as I hate to scream damsel in distress style lines continuously," Vivli said as calmly as she could, "SAVE MEEEEEEEEE!" She suddenly kicked up screaming so loud her own throat hurt.  
"We're working on it!" Bootus cried as Kraken sent him flying.

"You know, he said he has the orrrrb." Dedji pointed out. "You _arrrrre _the luckiest adventurers alive."

"I'm not feeling very lucky!" Vivli screamed, being waved around in Kraken's mighty tentacle. Kraken slammed its tentacle down at Dedji, and it passed right through her.  
"Hey! I'm not hurrrrrt!" Dedji cried.

"Of course not!" Kraken snapped. "Stupid girl! I can but harm my mortal enemies, the Light Warriors, or else I would have taken the world in this ghostly form."

"Just on the basis of theorrrrry, can I hurt you?" Dedji asked.

"I suppose it's possible." Kraken replied. He paused. "Uh oh."

Voldos was tapping the bars of the jail cell confidently.

"I'm telling ya, one of these is fake." He said.

"I'm the King!" The King protested. "I know my jail cell!"

"Exactly why they'd try to keep it from you!" Voldos's comment made no sense, but nobody felt like pointing this out.

"We need to do something productive." Celphie sighed.

"Hey!" Voldos cried. "This is productive! I'll have us out of here in minutes and then me and you can get together, if you know what I mean."

"She's my sister!" Andrew protested angrily.

"Yeah, all the more reason she's available. I mean, you're not exactly gonna be chasing after her, are you?" Voldos barely had time to finish before letting out a gurgled scream. Celphie had kicked him in the groin again.

"Let's listen on the linkshell." Zinkata suggested. "Maybe Vivli and Bootus can help somehow."

"PUT ME DOWN!" Vivli screamed as Kraken waved her around. Dedji brought her scyth down on the ghostly tentacle, and Vivli fell, landing with a thump. "OW!" She whined painfully. Dedji went to swing her scythe again, but Kraken picked Bootus up and hurled the galka into her, knocking the two down.

"You can never defeat me!" Kraken bellowed.

"Kraken, your physical form." Bootus began to ask. "You say you're carrying the orb. You must be using it to project yourself, correct?"

"Well, yes." Kraken remarked. "Very smart for a galka." He added to anger Bootus.

"So, in one way, you're possessing the orb." Bootus guessed.

"You could say that." Kraken smirked.

"I _said _he's possessing the orb!" Bootus cried to Vivli. Vivli looked at him blankly, and then figured it out.

"Oh no. You don't want me to-" Bootus nodded. Vivli sighed.

"They sound busy." Remarked Andrew.

"Wonder what they've got themselves into now." Zinkata sighed, putting away the linkshell.

"I wonder what you've got yourselves into now." Came a voice from outside. The five rushed to the jail door. "Can't leave you alone for a moment, huh?" Olose was slouched against the wall outside.

"Olose?" Cried Zinkata. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you. Obviously." He replied.

"I mean _how. _Where did you leave the airship?" Zinkata asked.

"Outside the city walls, hidden." Olose answered. "I'm a werewolf. I can jump the walls and ran to here. I figured you would be in trouble."

"He's a werewolf?" Gasped Celphie.

"This day has been very strange." Sighed Andrew.

"Let me get you out of there." Olose told them. "Stand back." With a howl and roar Olose began to transform into a gigantic half wolf, bending back the bars.

"-power of Altana compels you!" Vivli continued to cry. "Unclean spirit, I CAST YOU OUT!" There was a gigantic display of light and Kraken exploded into mist. A black orb rocketed down into the snow, slamming down and spraying snow everywhere. Vivli collapsed as she had done before. Dedji rushed to her side.

"Is she alrirrrght?" Dedji quickly asked Bootus.

"Yeah, she's fine. Did that last time as well." Bootus replied, showing very little care.

"Well, shall we help her?" Dedji asked.

"Just leave her. Get the orb." Dedji shot Bootus a strange look.

Back in the sewers of San D'Oria, The King stood before the gathered crowd.

"Tonight, we shall break out." He explained. "Olose has agreed to bring their airship down into the city. It shall fall under heavy fire, so we'll have to be quick. We will run and board the airship, using it to escape." Andrew walked up to him.

"Those of us with combat experience will delay the advancing skeletal troops of Lich." He told the crowd. "The rest of you, get to the ship as quickly as possible."

"Remember guys," Celphie input, "This is a mission to simply escape. Do not fight unless you have to. These things won't die." The gathered crowd nodded.

"Wow," Zinkata whispered to Voldos, "They really follow whatever those say. I can see why they were the rebel leaders."

"I wish she'd follow what I say." Voldos grumbled.

Dedji examined the black orb. Vivli was slung over Bootus's shoulder as they walked back towards Jeuno.

"Interesting." Dedji observed. "It's black."

"Of course it is!" Bootus laughed. "That's because it was never charged with Kraken's soul."

"So why was Kraken there?" Dedji asked.

"Probably drawn to the orb anyway so his spirit could attempt to return it." Bootus guessed. "Either way, it worked out well for us. We got the orb without that much effort." Dedji glanced to Vivli.

"I think it was a lot of effort for one of us." She said.

"Vivli's a bit of wimp. She can't do anything without passing out." Bootus told Dedji.

"That's not very fair." Dedji shot back. "She collapsed performing a difficult task _for us_."

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard this all before." Bootus grumbled.

"I wish you'd be a bit a nicer to her. She is my sister." Dedji told him.

"I seem to recall you weren't exactly nice to her." Bootus said back. Dedji paused, unable to think of a response. "Besides, she's far too dependant on others. If I treat her like this, maybe she'll learn to stand on her own two feet."

"I don't think insulting her all the time works to build up somebody's confidence." Dedji told the galka.

"Maybe not, but it is an awful lot of fun." Bootus smirked. Dedji rolled her eyes with a sigh.

Meanwhile, the rebels of San D'Oria put their plan into action. Lich's troops rushed to confront the _Raven _as it flew down and the citizens of the great city poured onto the streets rushing for the airship. Battle quickly engulfed the streets as the final survivors in San D'Oria turned their back on the nation to escape and bring hope to future victories.


	14. XIV

**Author's Note: This one isn't lengthy. Look in the reviews. Somebody left one saying 'diddums'. That is in fact Bootus. He hasn't read the story, but wanted to annoy me.**

**Very little of this story is based on fact, but Bootus is worryingly like his real life counterpart and there's the proof.**

**PART XIV**

The evacuation of San D'Oria was fast and smooth. It wasn't the Light Warriors that took the front during the battle, but Andrew and Celphie, who used rifles to keep the troops back. Zinkata and Voldos, armed with swords, dispatched any troops that got near, at least long enough for the civilians to make the airship. The rest of the adventurers beat back the skeletal troops, and soon the heroes leapt onto the _Raven _ready for departure.

"I hope she holds together!" Olose called. "She wasn't designed for transporting a lot of people!" The _Raven _began to lift into the air, before being caught in a swirling green energy. Lich stood proudly, holding the ship in position.

"You are going nowhere." He stated smugly. Olose turned to the heroes.

"Can either of you fly this thing?" He asked.  
"We had some experience." Zinkata nodded.

"Sure, we crashed the airship we tried to fly into the ocean, but it's experience all the same." Voldos added. In actual fact, they had surrendered control before it crashed, but Voldos didn't feel it important to emphasise this point.

"Good. Get the civilians out of here." Olose began to transform. "I'll distract Lich."

"Olose! No!" Zinkata screamed as Olose, now in werewolf form, flung himself off the airship into the streets below.

The creature instantly leapt at Lich, knocking him back. Lich rose, blasting Olose with electricity. Olose shook himself, and once again charged Lich. The two locked in combat as Lich pushed the gigantic werewolf away.

"You." Lich stated. "You are a creature of darkness."

"I am a creature of my own design." Olose countered.

"You are a creature of the night. You are a creature of evil. Through your blood runs a curse. A curse of evil. The power within is great, but only true evil can access it." Lich began to taunt. "You cannot defeat me without that power."

"And with it I'd only serve you." Olose spat in a roar. "I'm not stupid."

"Oh. If that won't work, I'll have to kill you." Lich once again summoned his silver arrows, and sent them tearing through Olose's body.

Even on board the _Raven _they heard his screams.

"NO!" Zinkata screamed, struggling with the controls.

"He's dead." Voldos sounded awe struck. "Six hundred years he's lived, and now he's dead." His voice was a perfectly even pace of complete and total shock. Andrew leant into the cabin.

"Come on, we're not out of this yet." He cried with a gesture. Voldos ran out on deck to hear a screech.

"Lich isn't going to let us go." Celphie explained, reading her gun. The elvaan looked out to see two dragons made of bone flying towards them.

"I hate dragons." Groaned Voldos. "I usually don't mind _dead _dragons, but for these I'm going to have to make an exception."

"Any ideas?" Asked Celphie.

"The cannons." Voldos guessed.

"Cannons?" Andrew asked. "Cannons are going to be far too slow to hit that."

"The cannons are fully moveable according to Cid." Voldos pointed out. "With any luck, we can aim them and take out the dragons."

"This is suicide." Grumbled Andrew.

"Right!" Voldos began to take charge. "I'll take the right cannon, Andrew you take the left. Celphie, fire with the rifle."

"Complete and total suicide." Andrew grumbled.

"Heads up!" Celphie warned. "Here they come!"

The dragons soared in over the top of the _Raven. _Celphie shot at them, but there was no result. Whether she missed or the bullets just had no effect she couldn't tell.

"You two!" Voldos picked on two random adventurers. "You reload!" He fired the cannon, and the cannon ball shot out in the air, completely missing anything. "Ah, next time, aim up." He said to himself. One of the dragons touched down on the front of the ship. The civilians ran back, the few that were still on deck scrambling into the hold. A few adventurers rushed the dragon with weapons, being flung aside quite easily. Despite this, the rush was enough to force the dragon away. The second flew in behind. Andrew fired his cannon, and the dragon flew higher, meaning the cannon ball completely missed.

"This isn't going to work!" Andrew yelled.

"Have faith!" Voldos told him. One of the dragons flew in, ramming into the _Raven _hard. The airship faltered, spinning in a flat spin. Zinkata fought with the wheel, managing to steady it due to the incredible power of the stabilising rotor blades Cid had installed.

"We're in trouble." Andrew said, looking over the edge to see one of these rotor blades had stopped spinning.

"Don't worry!" Zinkata cried. "She'll hold together!" The airship creaked awkwardly. "I hope!"

"Reassuring." Growled Voldos as he fired again. Once more he missed. "Damn, this is difficult."

"Beginning to doubt your plan?" Andrew asked with a stressed laugh.

"My plan is undoubtable!" Voldos cried, completely ignorant to the fact he had just made up a word. Another dragon soared in to land on deck. Andrew fired his cannon just as it was about to land, blasting it away. The bones shattered, causing it to fall from the air.

"YEEHAH!" Andrew screamed, and the crowd cried.

"One down, one to go!" Voldos announced.

"Wow. You can count!" Andrew cried to Voldos.

"Yeah, took a while, but I mastered it." Voldos replied sarcastically. The dragon swooped in again, and Celphie blasted at it.

"This rifle is useless against it!" She yelled as it swept down and flew upwards, ramming into the _Raven _from underneath. The airship rocketed upwards, knocking the crew to the floor. It shook with the force of ripping through the sky, during which the cannon Voldos was by ripped out of its place and fell.

"Uh oh!" Voldos cried as the ship shook.

By complete luck, the cannon fell intothe dragon, smashing it into tiny fragments of bone.

"HAHA!" Voldos laughed triumphantly. "That counts as my kill!" The airship shuddered as it stopped moving upwards, and it began to fell. "Urrrr, Zin? ZIN?" The elvaan screamed. "FLY! FLY UPWARDS!" The _Raven _plummeted towards the ground. The engines had stopped.

"It's not working!" Zinkata screamed.

"This is it!" Voldos whinced. "We're going to die!"

Vivli woke up in bed with a sneeze. She sniffed, and shivered slightly. She had no idea where she was, but didn't feel well. She felt like she had a cold.

"Stupid Bootus." She grumbled. She sneezed again. She wasn't feeling well, but at times like the ones they were in now, this was of very little concern. She looked around her room, slipping into her top and trousers, but not seeing her robe anywhere. She stopped, puzzled, before sneezing again. There was a knock on the door. "Urm. Yes?" She said, a little uncertain. Dedji opened the door.

"Oh, good. You'rrrrre awake." The taller mithra smiled.

"I think so." Vivli replied with a slight sarcastic tone. Then she sneezed again, ruining it.

"I washed yourrrrrrrr rrrrrrobe forrrrr you." Dedji threw it to her. Vivli failed to catch it, and it dropped on the floor.

"Aren't you a warrior? What do you know about washing things?" Vivli asked, picking it up and slipping into it.

"Not much. I figurrrrrred I put it in waterrrrr and soap." Dedji answered. "I only did it because I thought you'd apprrrrreciate it."

"I do. Thanks." Vivli said with a smile. Bootus stuck his head through the door.

"What is wrong with you two?" He asked. "You're sisters! Siblings! You're supposed to argue all the time, but secretly love each other anyway."

"I argue enough with you." Vivli told Bootus.

"Does that mean you secrrrrretly love him?" Dedji asked, bursting into laughter. Vivli hit Dedji playfully across the head.

"Don't even suggest that!" She cried. "That's the most horrific thing in the world!"

"That's more like it!" Bootus laughed. "Wait. I'm insulted!" He suddenly added as he figured out Vivli's complete detest of the suggestion.

It had been revealed they were staying at an inn in Jeuno, having carried Vivli back from Quifim. The three had gathered around to grab some food before deciding their next course of action. Dedji was chewing on some strange kind of fish on a stick.

"This stuff is great!" She told Vivli. "Trrrry some!"

"Urm. I'll stick to things I know, thanks." Vivli had a plate of noodles in front of her, and was eating them happily.

"This is imporrrrrted from Kazham! Made for mithrrrrra!" Dedji explained. "Come on, how can you not like it." Vivli sighed, turning to Bootus.

"You got in contact with the others yet?" She asked.

"Strange that, actually." Bootus told her. "Been trying all morning. I get no response." Vivli stopped eating.

"That doesn't sound good." She gulped.

"I'm sure they're fine." Bootus said in his most comforting tone of voice (which wasn't very comforting). "They're always fine."

"So what do we do?" Dedji asked.

"Head to Mhaura." Bootus decided. "We'll wait there for the return of the others."

"And if they don't rrrrreturrrrn?" Vivli was thinking it, but didn't have the guts to say it.

"They'll return." Bootus said confidently. "Let's just hope they destroyed the earth crystal or all of this may have been for nothing."

"They couldn't have." Vivli grumbled. "Not alone."

"We'rrrre still no closerrrr to winning this warrrr." Dedji pointed out. "Our plans so farrrr have been fool harrrdy. Charrrge in, beat that, steal this, it isn't going to worrrrk forrrrever."

"Well, excuuuuuuuuuse me if our plans aren't up to your high standards, Princess." Bootus taunted. "Besides, it usually works."

"I get the feeling Chaos was verrrrry incompetent." Dedji grumbled. "If you guys beat him."

"Hey! Chaos was incredibly tough!" Bootus protested.

"Yeah, and who's the one who finished him off?" Vivli asked proudly.

"Voldos." Bootus put in. Vivli paused.

"I meant who cast the final spell!" She cried.

"You're our only mage! Of course you cast the final spell!" Bootus was beaming a smile as Vivli got angrier and angrier.

"But I actually cast Ultima! I really hurt him! I pretty much killed him!" She was clearly upset that Bootus wouldn't acknowledge this, and Bootus was clearly proud to be annoying her by not acknowledging it. "I hate you sometimes!"

"Diddums." Bootus said irritatingly.

"That word doesn't even make sense!" Vivli screamed.

"Diddums again." Bootus repeated. Vivli screamed. Bootus smiled.

"Well," Dedji began, attempting to get some order back between the three, as well as get them back on topic. "As long as the others managed to find something out about the earrrrrth crystal and whetherrrrr it exists or not, we should be able to plan our next step as soon as they're back."

Voldos looked up from amongst the junk in the hold of the _Raven._

"I feel we forgot to do something." He said, rubbing his head.

"Forgot what?" Andrew asked. He was somehow upside down, and inside the hold. The last he remembered he had been on deck.

"We were meant to be looking to see if Lich had rebuilt the old earth crystal. It was Olose's new theory on his plan. " Voldos answered. "In the battle and excitement we must have forgotten." The airship shuddered, throwing everybody across the hold. Celphie landed on top of Voldos. "Please. Stay there forever." The elvaan groaned. Celphie pushed off of him.

"Zinkata!" She yelled, climbing onto the deck. "Can't you keep this thing steady?"

"Hey! I managed to stop it hitting the ground!" The warrior cried back. "What more do you want?"

"How did you do that anyway?" Celphie asked.

"Just flicked all these levers around here until the engines started again." Zinkata pointed to the levers. "I don't actually know what they do."

"I feel like I'm in such safe hands." Celphie muttered despairingly.

"Not as safe as you'd be in my hands, baby." Voldos said, coming up from the hold. Celphie turned around and kicked him again. He screamed.

"Stop messing around and get up!" Zinkata ordered Voldos.

"In so much pain." Voldos groaned.

"Use the linkshell to contact Bootus and Viv. See what they're up to." Zinkata told him. Voldos searched his pocket.

"Must have fallen out. Not there anymore." Voldos answered.

"Hm. Mine's fallen out as well." Zinkata said. "Look around the ship. They must be somewhere."

"Black pearls in a black ship." Voldos grumbled. "Clever."

"Look for shape, not colour, moron." Zinkata told him wearingly.

Vivli, Dedji and Bootus rode across the deserts near Windurst on chocobos.

"I hate-" Vivli began.

"-chocobos." Bootus finished for her. "We know. You say it all the time."

"Well nobody else was saying anything." Vivli grumbled in protest.

"Yeah, it was nice, wasn't it?" Bootus said happily.

"Shut up." Vivli grumbled. Mhaura was falling into view. "You see anything on the horizon?" She suddenly asked, looking up at the sky.

"Looks like a bird or something." Bootus answered with a shrug.

"Too big to be a birrrrrd." Dedji observed. "Looks like an airrrrship, but limping oddly."

"It's the _Raven_!" Vivli gasped. "And it's crashing!"

"It's out over the sea still." Bootus observed. "That should give them a soft landing."

"Let's get overrrr therrrrrre!" Dedji decided, and shot off on her chocobo. The other two followed.

"Zin?" Voldos called. "ZIN?" Zinkata stuck his head out from the cabin.

"Yes?" He inquired.

"You are aware we're quite rapidly losing height right?" Voldos checked.

"Engines are dieing." Andrew observed.

"Okay, I'll try to put us down in the water." Zinkata shouted to everybody on board. "We should be able to float at least."

"Do you know how to land this thing?" Celphie sounded worried.

"Urm. No." Zinkata answered. "But I figure if it keeps going down it'll hit the water eventually."

"We are all going to die." Voldos found himself saying.

Bootus was slightly surprised at the size of the splash.

"Are they alright?" Vivli quickly asked.

"How am I supposed to know?" Bootus shot back.

"Stupid to ask." Vivli grumbled. "I know you don't know anything."

"I can see it." Dedji stated, looking at the floating black ship. "Looks like it can't get in to porrrrt though."

"It's designed to fly, not go on water, that's why." Bootus explained.

"Yes. I figured." Dedji muttered.

Luckily the people in Mhaura dispatched a ship to bring in the _Raven _meaning soon the adventurers reassembled in the small port town.

"You're alive!" Vivli cried happily as she saw them. "For a moment, we were worried."

"We had it under control." Voldos answered with a cocky grin. She watched as the still shirtless Andrew and Celphie walked out. Celphie scowled at Voldos.

"Yes. I can see that." The tiny mithra said, looking at the strange company. She turned away, slightly embarrassed from Andrew. "Urm. Where's Olose?" There was an awkward pause. Vivli's eyes went wide. "No. No! Tell me! He has to be somewhere, right?" She sounded almost hysterical.

"I'm sorry Viv. He distracted Lich. Let the rest of us get away. We couldn't stop him." Zinkata paused. "He saved everybody here, you know? Every last citizen of San D'Oria survived because of Olose Sampson." Vivli had broke down into tears, and didn't hear anything else. Zinkata held her in his arms to comfort her. Dedji and even Bootus looked a little shaken by hearing that Olose was dead.

"Did you find out about the earth crystal?" Bootus asked, trying to get off the subject before he showed any emotion.

"Not a thing. Lich engaged us in combat before we could." Zinkata paused. "We confirmed he's trying to resurrect the other fiends though."

"We know." Bootus told him. "We retrieved one of the orbs. Now he can never complete his plot." Bootus held up the orb.

"If we don't stop him, the land will rot anyway." Voldos pointed out. "At least if this earth crystal theory is right."

"Not to mention the fact he's already taken San D'Oria and by now Seblina, it won't be long before he launches an attack on Bastok." Zinkata said, still with his arm around the sobbing Vivli. "What did you find out?"

"We found Fiorel." Vivli sniffed, breaking away and trying to calm down.

"Fiorel?" Zinkata cried in disbelief.

"His spirit." Bootus filled in. Vivli was too distraught to speak properly. "Turns out he's been watching events."

"Then why don't we go back?" Zinkata suggested. "He could help us. We have the orb. He can suggest what we do next."

"Sounds like our best shot." Voldos admitted.

"Then let's go." Dedji said, before looking to her sister with concern. "Vivli? Are you going to be okay?" She asked.

"I'll have to be." Vivli wept, before taking a final gulp and wiping her tears away. "For Olose's sake. Lich will pay. I swear."

"Then we go back to Fiorel." Zinkata announced. "I doubt Lich will cross the ocean before striking Bastok, so at least the civilians should be safe here."

"What about us?" Andrew asked, having been fairly left out of the conversation.

"You two are excellent rebel leaders." Zinkata said to the two siblings. "You should stay here and organise the defences."

"Stay here?" Andrew sounded a little surprised.

"It's too risky to gamble." Zinkata explained. "We have to keep this place safe, and you two are best for the job."

"Makes sense." Celphie grumbled.

"I guess." Added Andrew. "Fine. We'll turn Mhaura into a fortress. Lich isn't going to get in here!"

"We'll get going then." Zinkata turned to leave.

"Oh, one last thing." Andrew said. "Good luck!"


	15. XV

**PART XV**

They had journeyed in silence for some time. Nobody had felt like saying anything. Vivli had been crying (and sneezing) and not a single one of the five strong team had felt like saying a thing. Dedji had wrapped her arms around Vivli in an attempt to make her feel better, but Vivli hadn't reacted. So, in turn, Dedji was feeling incredibly bad about herself because she could do nothing to help her little sister.

Vivli didn't even know why she was so upset. Sure, she had liked Olose, but people had died before. They were at war. She had to prepare for people to die. Did she love him? She didn't know. Something echoed in her head. The words of Lich.

"_You love her. You wouldn't harm her."_

She stopped walking, breaking down into tears again. Was that true? Did Olose love her? She found herself wondering what such a monster knew about love anyway. And if Olose loved her, did she love him? Why didn't she know?

"Sis?" Dedji said quietly before her. "We have to keep moving." Her voice was soft to prevent upsetting Vivli further. Vivli wiped tears from her eyes again. She tried her best to smile.

"Of course we do." The tiny mithra replied. "Let's keep going." Zinkata had pondered bring up the point that he never actually saw Olose die. He thought that maybe she'd find some comfort in that. But, in turn, it may crush her completely if it turns out he is dead after raising her hopes. And so, the hume decided to stay silent.

They reached the same cave before nightfall. How they had travelled so fast they weren't sure, but with Vivli so upset she never asked to stop or rest, and none of the others felt like asking her to stop, so they had kept going all day. They wondered into the dark cave in silence. Vivli sneezed, which made the others jump. Had circumstances been different, she would have laughed. As it was, she was upset, and fairly frightened due to the darkness.

"You are back." A ghostly voice boomed as the image of Fiorel formed before them.

"Yes." Vivli managed to answer.

"I sense a great deal of pain from you." Fiorel sounded concerned despite his ghostly form. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"We lost a friend." Zinkata explained.

"A friend is lost." Fiorel told him. "But not necessarily forever."

"Why are ghosts always cryptic?" Voldos sighed. Zinkata ignored him.

"We retrieved the orb." Zinkata told the ghost.

"By we, he means us." Bootus interjected, pointing to himself, Dedji and Vivli. Bootus felt it important to point this out despite the current gloom that hung over the party.

"The orb must be kept from Lich." Fiorel told them. "But keeping it from him alone shall not win this war. As you predicted, the earth crystal has been remade."

"How did we know we predicted that?" Whispered Voldos.

"He's a ghost. He knows a lot of things." Zinkata replied.

"It is deep in the realm of San D'Oria. It is no coincidence the four nations exist. He is planning to use each one to set up one crystal. He cannot give power to the four crystals without the fiends, but that will not stop him. He will destroy all in his path to reclaim the orb. He will wipe this world clean if he has to. And all the time the land is dieing. You are short on time, and low on chance." Fiorel's words seemed to hang in the air.

"What can we do?" Dedji asked desperately.

"Lich prepares to march on Bastok." Fiorel told the party. "The nation will fall unless the Light Warriors can defend it. Remember this: Lich's army is not invincible. Where brute force fails, there are other options."

"Then we must go to Bastok? We must help defend it?" Zinkata asked.

"That is your destiny." Fiorel said with a smile, as if he enjoyed sounding mysterious. "Now go. And remember, not every pathway is seen. Not every strategy is obvious." The five walked away without uttering a word.

"What did he mean by that?" Voldos asked.

It was midday the following day when they arrived back in Mhaura. Gigantic wooden walls were under construction.

"No! No!" A voice cried. "That pole goes _there_, or else the whole structure will collapse!"

"How's it going Andrew?" Zinkata cried from the ground.

"We're going to be ready for when Lich comes." Andrew replied. "Even if I have to build everything myself." He added in a grumble as a large wooden support fell down. "How did your quest go?"

"We've got to head to Bastok." Zinkata explained. "According to Fiorel, we can save it."

"That doesn't sound too likely." Celphie called. She was on top of the newly constructed wall.

"Hey, baby!" Voldos cried. Celphie threw a rock at him, and Voldos dived behind Bootus.

"Would you shut up? Please?" Bootus requested, not wanting to be hit by anything else Celphie might decide to throw.

"But if she runs out of stones, maybe she'll start throwing her clothes at me!" Voldos had completely forgotten about the depression in the party, and saw what he thought was his opportunity to win Celphie over. She just threw more rocks at him, at which point the ran far enough away to be safe. Andrew laughed.

"Well, Cid's been working all night on the _Raven. _It should be airworthy again." He told them.

"Sounds good." Zinkata told him, walking into the town. "Provided he lets us fly it after last time."

Cid ran angrily to them.

"NO!" He cried as they tried to approach the airship. "NO! You're not taking her! Do you know how smashed up she was?"

"Hey, we got attacked." Voldos said with a shrug. "It happens."

"The fate of Bastok may rest on it." Zinkata tried a different approach.

"Bastok?" Exclaimed Cid. "Why didn't you say so? We have to leave right away!"

"We?" Zinkata inquired.

"You think I trusting you to fly her after last time?" Cid asked.

"Point taken." Zinkata nodded. "Come on guys!" He called to the other Light Warriors. "We're heading home!"

"Not my home." Dedji pointed out.  
"True." Zinkata said in response. "But then it's not Vivli's or Voldos's home either, is it?" He paused. "Besides, you're not coming."

"What?" Dedji screamed in disbelief. "Why?"

"Head to Kazham. It was attacked. Take your mother and father. We need to make sure it's okay. We're spread thin right now, we need everybody doing everything they can. We don't know the state of Kazham or the state of the Temple of Uggalepih. We need to find out what Lich did and how many survived." Zinkata explained to her.

"I'll go." She sighed. "Be carrrreful. And take care of Vivli."

"We will." Zinkata smiled. "You take care as well. We'll meet back here after we've dealt with Bastok. We'll need as much information on the state of Kazham. I'm considering using it as our last refuge. It's out of the way of the main nations and has been attacked already, so Lich wouldn't launch a second strike."

"Goodbye." Dedji waved with a sad look. "Please make sure she's alright." She didn't have to say a name. It was obvious who she meant.

"She's going to find the next few days rough. She lost someone close to her. We'll help her however we can." Zinkata turned away. "Goodbye. And good luck."

The _Raven _hurtled across the sky in its usual fashion. That meant it was shaking and barely stable. Luckily this took Vivli's mind off the death of Olose as she was too busy trying not to be sick. She wasn't trying hard enough, it would appear, as she threw up over the deck, and slumped down, feeling very ill. A combination of a cold and travel sickness. On top of that, she hadn't slept the previous night and was feeling very upset over the loss of a very close friend. This left her almost curled up against the small wall at the edge of the _Raven_, the only thing that protected her from a very long drop. Luckily, she blocked this from her mind just because she had so much else worrying her.

Of course, had she been stood up she'd of seen the unpleasant sight of hundreds of skeletal troops marching across the sandy dunes. Zinkata, however, could see this clearly.

"This does not look good." He said worryingly. Bootus peered over the edge.

"You can say that again." Bootus agreed. "But I'd prefer it if you didn't." He added.

"How long until we reach Bastok?" Zinkata called to Cid.

"We're coming into range now." Cid replied. "We should be down in a few moments."

"Good." Zinkata replied. "Judging by that, we need every second we can get."

"We don't have a landing clearance." Cid explained. "They don't know we're coming. It's unsafe to land in the main airship dock. Another ship could just land right on top of us."

"Put us down by the fountain." Zinkata said casually.

"By the fountain?" Cid exclaimed.

"Yeah, there should be plenty of room between the fountain and the auction house." Zinkata explained.

"You boys sure like to make a dramatic entrance." Cid sighed. Vivli, who was trying to break her trance of illness, stood up at this point.

"I'm not a boy." She pointed out, expecting a petty argument to start that would at least distract her. Instead the ship jolted and she fell over. Bootus, of course, laughed at this, and she grumbled to herself miserably.

The citizens of Bastok at first admired the small black airship as it flew low over their heads. This admiration soon turned to fear as they realised it was landing on their heads. The crowds scattered and the _Raven _touched down. Zinkata and Voldos casually flung down the loading ramp and the four casually strolled down. Darklighter, a gigantic galka, thundered to the front of the crowd. A hardened war hero, he had encountered the Light Warriors in the battle at the Temple of Uggalepih a few months ago.

"Well, you boys can certainly make an entrance." He growled. Vivli sighed.

"I am not a boy!" She shouted for the second time in a few minutes. This time she was just ignored.

"We have a serious problem, Darklighter." Zinkata began, running down the ramp.

"Problem?" Darklighter asked. "Don't be so modest. You guys have many problems." The galka emitted a hearty laugh.

"I was referring to the army coming to crush this entire city." Zinkata said, his facial features firm.

"Expecting us to fall like the puny elvaan of San D'Oria?" Darklighter was a warrior who had seen much war, including the Crystal War twenty years ago. He had a hardened approach when it came to battle. "Bastok is much stronger."

"At least we don't hide in this miserable desert!" Voldos spat.

"It doesn't matter where you hide." Vivli spoke up, feeling very much like a neutral party since she was from neither Bastok nor San D'Oria. "That army is unstoppable. They won't die. They are undead and _never _stop functioning. They will keep coming no matter what you do. Keep reforming. _That _is why San D'Oria fell." Darklighter reflected on this for a moment.

"We must see the President!" He announced.

The President looked outraged as soon as the Light Warriors entered his office.

"Dammit!" He barked. "Whenever you show up, there is some serious problem. What is it this time?"

"We've come to warn you." Zinkata explained. "The army that took San D'Oria is coming, and it cannot be stopped. It is an army of invincible skeletons. All the military might in the world cannot stop them." The President paused.

"And why is it always you explaining things?" The President asked. "Do the other three not speak?" Zinkata sighed.

"I'm serious!" He protested.  
"I know. You always are. You're also always right." The President paused, as if waiting for something. "So? Tell me then. What's your plan?" The President questioned, almost sounding weary.  
"Evacuation is our only option." Bootus put in, just to prove the President's previous point wrong.

"Evacuate the city?" The President took it casually. "Impossible." He stated. "Our scouts can't even reach the dunes anymore. The army you refer to has gathered there, and now forced itself into Gustenberg itself. We cannot leave." Zinkata paused, thoughtfully. Vivli came up with an idea before him.

"Use the airships!" She cried. "Evacuate by air."

"That would take forever!" The President exclaimed.

"Evacuate the civilians then." Vivli suggested.

"And the others?" The President inquired. Vivli turned to the other Light Warriors.

"We fight." She stated. "We delay them by whatever means possible."

"But they cannot be killed!" The President reminded her. "Our armies would be committing suicide."

"It is our only choice." Zinkata pointed out. "If we don't, we'll just sit here and be eliminated one by one as they approach. Who knows? We might find a weakness."

"What is it with you people and suicidal plans?" The President asked tiredly.

"We do not choose the suicidal plans. The suicidal plans choose us." Voldos said profoundly.

"Wow. Deep." Muttered Bootus. "Where did you learn things like that?"

"It was in a book I read." Voldos explained proudly. "Read that being profound and wise is the best way to impress women."

"So why haven't you tried it before?" Bootus asked. Voldos shot him a look. "Besides, there are no women here." Vivli folded her arms, agitated.

"Did I cease to exist when I wasn't paying attention or something?" She asked.

"Nah, we just like ignoring you." Bootus said with a shrug.

"The point is," Zinkata began, desperately trying to get back on track, "We're out of choices. We need to fight. We need to prepare for war. And we need to do it now."

Archers lined the walls of Bastok, with black mages stood on either side. Warriors lined the streets waiting at the gates. White mages were stood far back, to heal those in battle without risking injury. Vivli was crammed in with them, between a tall hume and an elvaan, and so felt very short and insignificant. Every other job was in the respective positions deemed most suitable for them. And there they waited calmly for the coming storm.

Except it didn't come. The brave warriors stood, waiting. But nothing appeared out in the deserts of Gustenberg. There was silence. Zinkata, who was stood next to Darklighter, began to become concerned.  
"Where are they?" He asked. "They should be here by now."

"Stay calm." Darklighter said through gritted teeth. "They will come."

"Lich isn't one to take his time." Zinkata warned.

"Maybe he's clearing out the quadav in the mines first." Darklighter suggested. "He could be bringing them under his power."

"Wait!" Zinkata cried. "The mines? They're connected to the mining district, don't they?"

"Well, it's possible yes. But I-" Darklighter was cut off.

"Oh no." Zinkata said in disbelief. Fiorel's words echoed in his head.

"_Now go. And remember, not every pathway is seen. Not every strategy is obvious." Not every pathway is seen, he suddenly realised what that meant._

"FALL BACK! FALL BACK!" He began to yell. Just as he did he heard commotion from the back lines of white mages. "THE MINES! THEY'RE USING THE MINES!"

"THEY'RE COMING OUT OF THE MINES!" Vivli screamed as loudly as she could, but her voice was drowned by panic. The skeletal hoards flooded out of the mines and into the city of Bastok. The warriors turned and charged. Vivli was knocked over in the chaos and found herself surrounded. The battle began inside the city. The Bastokian lines fell to pieces instantly, such a simple strategy had been overlooked and threw everything into disarray.

Zinkata, Voldos and Darklighter led the charge against the hoards. They clashed on the streets. Bootus led a band of monks around to try and attack from behind. They were cut off before they could get there.

"You will be exterminated!" Cried the skeletal troops. The battle raged all around. Nobody was prepared, and it seemed to be a losing battle.

The archers, in panic, unleashed their arrows, hitting their own troops. Vivli looked up as arrows clashed down around her. She screamed in panic, getting to her feet to run. A skeleton grabbed her and flung her to the floor. It rose its weapon and prepared to strike her down.

She was in serious trouble.


	16. XVI

**PART XVI**

Vivli rolled to the side, screaming involuntarily as the skeleton smashed its sword down beside her. It rose it to repeat the strike, and she pulled her paddle off of her belt in panic. She held it up to block the sword coming down beside her. It sliced the paddle effortlessly in half and only a split second reaction of swinging to the side saved her from death.  
"I don't know why I bother." She grumbled, looking at her latest staff broken. The creature pulled its sword up, and prepared to drive it downwards. She quickly cast banish as a last attempt to protect herself. The skeleton faltered as this spell hit, and she got up to run. She cast a much more powerful version as soon as she was on her feet, and it stumbled back, letting out a wail as if it was in pain.

She ran, but the skeleton followed at incredible speeds. A fireball from a black mage hit it, blowing off its arm, but it continued without concern. It was rapidly gaining on the fleeing mithra, and moments before it pounded to finish her off, somebody leapt into the fray with a sword, knocking it over.

Zinkata sliced off the head of the skeleton and turned to Vivli.

"Come on!" He cried, pulling her into a small house away from the fighting. Vivli was doubled over, panting.

"Did you see that?" She gasped. "It stumbled when I hit it with banish, but continued regardless when black magic hit it." She stopped for air. "White magic must hurt them."

"So?" Zinkata asked.

"It means powerful enough white magic might kill them. We might be able to win." Vivli was trying to sound enthusiastic.

"But what's powerful enough to kill them?" Zinkata was quick to ask the obvious question.

"Right. White magic heals, but has an opposite effect on the undead, right?" Vivli wasn't looking for an answer, but Zinkata nodded anyway. "So with any luck-" The door burst down and in marched one of the skeletal troops. Vivli began to cast something. Zinkata ran at it, and started to duel it. His sword was knocked from his hand and the warrior stumbled back. Vivli cast a spell, and a white beam of light shot through the skeleton, before a bright white glow grew until it was so bright both had to look away from it. When it faded, the skeleton lay lifeless on the floor. "As I was saying," Vivli sounded very smug, "Raise should be powerful enough." Zinkata looked impressed.

"Now we need to get this word to everybody else!" He exclaimed. "Come on!" He dragged her outside and back into the battle raging on the streets.

Bootus pounded another skeleton into the ground, and ran as it was reforming.

"This is impossible!" He yelled to Voldos. "They just keep coming!"

"We've got even bigger problems!" Voldos yelled back. "I think they've decided to attack outside the walls as well!" The sealed gate to Bastok which they were conveniently near rumbled with the sound of troops outside trying to get in. "We can't retreat! We're completely surrounded!" The gate burst open and more troops began to flow in. Voldos unleashed arrows, but they were useless. He drew his sword, and the two heroes charged the attacking skeletons.

Vivli was shouting something, but her voice was lost in chaos.

"WHITE MAGES!" Zinkata bellowed louder than the little mithra thought possible. "REFORM! FALL BACK! WE HAVE A NEW STRATEGY!" Mages began to run towards Zinkata. It wasn't really a case of 'falling back', the entire city was occupied and under attack. There was no where left to fall back to. A small group of mages gathered round, less than a dozen.

"Raise will kill them!" Vivli quickly explained.

"We can't keep casting raise!" Protested a tarutaru.

"Our magic won't last that long!" An elvaan pointed out.

"We'll need to adopt a typical archer strategy." Vivli had no idea about the strategy's of archers, but now wasn't really the time to point that out. "Half of us cast while half of us recharge, and then we switch."

"With this many of us? We won't last two seconds!" The elvaan seemed argumentative.

"We have no choice!" Vivli cried. "Spread the word to any white mages you can see. Pair up with someone to cover you while you recharge and vice versa. Try and stick with some melee fighters. Now go! We're the only ones that can save the city!"

Voldos spotted a large airship soaring above them.

"Oh great, now they're going to attack via the air." He sighed. "We're most definitely going to die!"

"Again!" Bootus reminded him. "This happens all the time!" Somebody through ropes over the side of the increasingly low airship.

"That's not a warship." Bootus pointed out. "It's a passenger ship. A_ Bastokian _passenger ship. The one we used to evacuate the civilians."  
"Then who's in it?" Voldos asked. A gunshot ran out, blowing off the head of a nearby skeleton. Andrew swung over the edge of the ship, hanging onto the rope. Celphie joined in. The two began to swing down, and suddenly multiple elvaans leapt over and joined in. They all swung down and landed in the centre of the city.

The armies of San D'Oria had safely retreated back when the city was originally invaded, and any left behind had escaped during the incident with the _Raven_. And now, the San D'Orian army was swinging down ropes into Bastok.

"Didn't think we'd sit by and miss this, did you?" Andrew asked as he landed, firing his gun at a quadav skeleton. "They reinforced their numbers?" He asked, pointing to the quadav.

"Yeah." Sighed Voldos. "They used the mines to attack us."

"Ha!" Laughed an elvaan. "Bloody Bastok can't take care of itself. Not surprised they're in this much trouble." Voldos went to defend it, before realising that would be silly because he was an elf.

"How's the battle going?" Celphie asked, running up beside Bootus.

"How does it look?" Cried the galka.

"Good point." Celphie nodded, before shooting at another skeleton.

The battle raged. Now the forces of good had the numbers, but unfortunately, they were still not invincible. This meant that the war raging inside the city walls was going to be a short one. More and more white mages had teamed up, casting raise and killing the skeletons, but it simply wasn't enough. The one small weakness couldn't be exploited as effectively as needed.

"FALL BACK!" Vivli shouted as loud as she possibly could. The mages were in danger now, and she knew if they died, then all hope was lost. At least, that's the reason she would claim. She was actually just incredibly scared. The white mages ran back into the groups of San D'Orian and Bastokian warriors.

"Nice strategy, Viv." Bootus grumbled. "Now what?"

"Urm." Vivli paused to think. "Hey!" She suddenly called, getting the mage's attention. "Couldn't we cast one big spell? Together? Like they used to do during in the war?"

"It's possible." A hume said with a shrug.

"No time to find out! Go!" Vivli began to cast, as did the others. She could feel their own magical energies, and they could feel hers. Together they created the ultimate combination of pure white magic.

As they unleashed this, the tides turned. It was simple, the combined raise spell ripped through the skeletons, knocking them down, and at the same time had the handy side effect of resurrecting many of the fallen troops for the forces of good. This single broad stroke instantly rose moral dramatically. As the white mages dropped down to rest and prepare to unleash another attack of magic, the skeletons retreated, regrouping in the centre of the city.

The forces of the living surrounded the skeletons, who were gathered around the fountain area. The skeletons were fighting off the attacking warriors with ease, but the warriors were only intending to hold them where they were, and not let them escape.

A bright white light rocketed through the city, and again the skeletons fell. The remaining creatures turned and fled into the mines, retreating. Great cheers echoed throughout the city.

The Light Warriors ran to each other in the middle of a ruined city street. Bootus was bleeding heavily, but didn't seem to care. The others seemed relatively unharmed. Vivli was shaking with exhaustion from casting, but the pure joy of victory kept her standing.

"We did it!" She cried. "Now we can fight back!"

"Launch a strike on San D'Oria?" Zinkata asked. "Seems possible, if not a little fool hardy."

"We can decide that later!" Voldos yelled happily. "For now, let's celebrate and clear this up!" He paused. "Typical that San D'Oria had to bail you guys out."

"_Us _guys." Bootus said, reminding Voldos he was technically a citizen of Bastok.

Meanwhile, in the city of San D'Oria, Lich listened intently, clutching a small black pearl.

"Strike at me?" He laughed. "What do they think they're doing?"

"My lord?" Somebody from the darkness asked in confusion.

"Ah, my new servant." Lich said with a strange sort of smile (being a skeleton it was pretty impressive to see him smile). "You see, a linkshell is a fantastic way of communicating, but if you lose one and it falls into the wrong hands it is the ultimate piece of spy equipment." He held out his hand, displaying Voldos's linkshell pearl he had stolen during the battle with them.

"So they plan to attack?" The figure asked.

"To do so would be suicide. My troops could still eliminate them!" Lich spat. "Besides, soon, I shall be joined by the others. When the four of us are united again, we shall be unstoppable!"  
"So what is your bidding, my master?" Came the question.

"Reclaim the orb from the Light Warriors." Lich ordered. "As soon as it is in my possession, I shall be able to achieve my goal and dispose of this world once and for all!"

"And if they resist?" Asked the figure.

"You are powerful. Destroy them" Lich stated.

The four Light Warriors had been called to meet the President while the city was being cleared up and repairs started.  
"It seems that we have won, gentlemen." The President said proudly. Vivli coughed awkwardly, deciding not to shout aloud this time. "Ur. And lady." He quickly added.

"Should I be offended he hesitated?" Vivli whispered.

"Well, you do look like a boy." Bootus shot back. Vivli looked extremely angry, but couldn't argue because of the location. Bootus knew this, so chuckled to himself.

"Perhaps your concern was unfounded." Suggested the President.

"This is but a temporary victory." Zinkata pointed out. "We now know a weakness in Lich's armies, but if we do not stop him soon, he'll attack again and again until he's victorious."

"Not to mention Lich is the King of the Undead, yes. But the other fiends aren't." Vivli noted. "If he successfully brings back the other fiends then he'll have a whole new army ready to attack that won't be phased by white magic."

"So what are our chances of taking out Lich?" The President asked.  
"We've fought him twice and lost." Zinkata answered. "He's very powerful. Even with white magic, I can't guarantee victory."

"Other courses of action then?" The President prompted.

"We return to Mhaura via the _Raven_." Zinkata decided. "Now that Lich's army is weakened, he'll need the orb we possess before he can attack Bastok again. We'll head to Mhaura. It's small and easy to defend, not to mention across the water. Lich will be unable to attack us there."

"Once there, we can send the remaining civilians to Bastok or Windurst. Either one of the cities is much safer than being holed up in the tiny port town." Vivli suggested, feeling that as a Light Warrior she should at least be doing some thinking.

"We'll send airships with you to assist." The President told her, and Vivli crossed her arms, feeling quiet proud.

Before leaving and heading back towards Mhaura, the four encountered Celphie and Andrew.

"I take it saving the day was your idea?" Zinkata asked.

"Naturally." Andrew smiled. "I figured you'd need help when the first airships arrived transporting Bastok's civilians." There was an awkward pause.  
"Thanks." Vivli was the one who finally said it. "You saved us."

"Consider it returning the favour." Andrew said with a smirk.

"You coming back to Mhaura with us?" Zinkata asked.

"No." Celphie spoke up. "We're staying here and helping the military rebuild the city. The President himself requested it of us."

"Wow. Congratulations." Voldos sounded impressed. "Of course, remember, it was _San D'Oria _that saved the day." Andrew smirked.

"I actually think most of them only came so they could mock the people of Bastok for years afterwards." He explained with a laugh. Voldos sighed, knowing that that made perfect sense.

Lich listened intently.

"Mhaura. They think I won't come?" He paused. "My young subject shall do more than my army ever could. They think too big. They expect an army when one man can achieve so much. They will be crushed before him." He turned to two black orbs circling one that seemed to be radiating with dark energy. "And then you will be reborn and Vana'diel shall be ours!"

Four figures wondered off the ramp of the _Raven _in Mhaura. One looked very ill. Cid followed the Light Warriors down the ramp. Civilians rushed around them.

"What happened?" Somebody asked.

"Is Bastok okay?" Asked another.

"Did we win?" A third asked.

"Yeah, yeah, we won." Zinkata said wearingly.

"WE WON!" Somebody cheered, and the whole town exploded into cries of victory. The Light Warriors were lifted up on the shoulders of the crowd and carried through the streets.

"Uh oh." Vivli mumbled.

"Uh oh?" Voldos repeated. Vivli threw up, and instantly they dropped her. Bootus laughed aloud (who had also been dropped, but mainly due to weight issues).

Some time later, after much apologising on Vivli's part, the four met up with Dedji who had returned from Kazham. Alone.

"Where's Mum and Dad?" Vivli asked instinctively straight away.  
"Things arrrrre a bit complicated in Kazham." Dedji answered. "The chieftainess was badly wounded in the attack. She is rrrrrecoverrrring now."

"So who's in charge?" Vivli asked.

"We are." Dedji said with a smile. "Well, mother and father." She added with a shrug. "Seems without leaderrrrrrrship they decided to let the rrrrrrroyal family rrrrrrrule until the chieftainess was fully rrrrrrecoverrrrred."

"So, Princesses, you actually _are _real princesses now?" Bootus asked in his most mocking tone.

"I was always a rrrrreal Princess!" Dedji snapped.

"Don't encourage him!" Cried Vivli.

"Well," Zinkata began, "If Kazham is in that state, maybe we could help. If we keep on the move, then there's no way Lich can find us. The orb'll be safe from him."

"Okay!" Vivli said cheerfully, wanting to see Kazham again. "Let's go!"

Lich laughed aloud.

"No way I can track you?" He paused. "Your ignorance is amusing. But you will not escape me." He turned to the orbs. "You will not escape us. We will be reborn and the world will be ours!" His voice echoed throughout the castle, forcing guards all over to snap to attention and ponder whether Lich was aware the heroes couldn't actually hear him. They weren't used to metaphorical ranting, being only mechanised skeletons.


	17. XVII

**PART XVII  
**

"I think I'm getting better at this flying thing." Vivli commented as the _Raven _shot through the air. "I haven't been sick once!"

"Maybe Cid's just getting better at flying!" Bootus suggested.

"You'll never give me credit for anything, will you?" Vivli asked, sounding slightly offended.

"Not if I can help it." Bootus replied with a smirk.

"We're approaching Kazham!" Cid called out.

"About time!" Bootus called back.

The _Raven _splashed down roughly in the waters just outside of Kazham. Vivli threw up as it rocked. Bootus laughed.

"Damn." She grumbled.

"You'rrrrrre rrrrrreally not verrrrrry good at trrrrrrravelling are you?" Dedji pointed out.  
"I figure it's Altana's way of telling us that we shouldn't fly, or cross oceans, but only go where our two feet can take us." Vivli gave in excuse. Cid walked out of the cabin with a laugh.

"If Altana didn't want us flying, she wouldn't have given us the ability to build airships." He slapped Vivli on the back, which unfortunately made her throw up again. She groaned, shaking uneasily.

"Nice way to make a first impression as a returning princess." Zinkata mocked.

"Two words." Vivli snapped. "The second one is up and the first one is shut."

"I don't get it." Commented Voldos. Vivli rolled her eyes.

Cid remained behind with the _Raven _as the five wondered through the now changed Kazham. It was badly damaged. The small wooden huts had been ripped to shreds, several had collapsed. The population seemed changed as well. They were much quieter, going about the work of rebuilding in silence. It was as if their very spirits had been crushed after discovering how powerful Lich's troops had been, and how their pride as a society of warriors had been destroyed by losing the battle so easily. Vivli found a smile creeping across her face as the irony hit her. They had mocked her for being a white mage. They had made her feel weak and worthless. But in reality, only a white mage could have defeated the attackers. Only a white mage could have made it possible to win the battle here.

Her smile instantly faded as she saw a field full of quickly assembled graves. She felt sick with guilt for finding any amusement in the devastation around. She stared at the graves of the mithra who had fallen fighting. Tears formed in her eyes.

"They couldn't stop them." Dedji told her softly. "The skeletons just marrrrrched thrrrrrrough this town like it was nothing. Just another obstacle on the path to the Temple of Uggalepih. The warriors trrrrried to stop them, but were struck down. They couldn't be killed." She paused. "All this devastation just to get to the other side of the town."

"They could have just asked." Vivli said pathetically, too upset to think through what she was saying.

"Dedji! Vivli!" A voice called. The two mithra span around to see Arcane approaching them. "What arrrrre you doing herrrrre?" By now, Zinkata, Voldos and Bootus had wondered over to join them.

"We came to check up on the town." Dedji explained.

"We have to keep moving to keep the orb safe from Lich." Zinkata furthered this. "Seemed logical to come here. At least until we have a plan." Listening to himself say it, Zinkata realised just how aimless they had become. Arcane paused.

"Convenient you arrrrre herrrrrrre, Vivli." She said. "I have a gift forrrrrr you."

"A gift?" Vivli's eyes lit up. Arcane pulled from her satchel a silver staff.

"A sign of the mithrrrrran prrrrrincess. Most mithrrrrrra actually take it as an insult, since a small staff such as that is ineffective in combat. However, you can make use of it." Vivli examined it. It was made of solid silver, about three feet long with a large silver headpiece with an inbuilt red ruby. Vivli looked closely at the jewel.

"Pretty." She remarked, before realising how girly this sounded and attempting to correct it. "Ahem. I mean the ruby is very artistic." It wasn't a very good correction. "I mean, thank you." She said. "I can't guarantee you'll get it back. I have a bad track record with staffs."

"That is the legendarrrrry Staff of Rrrrra, I hope you look after it." Arcane said. "If you do not, it isn't a big loss. You are the princess, ownership of it is yours, you may do what you please."

"I'll try my best." Vivli said with a rather unconfident nod. She turned to Bootus. "Hey! Being a princess has some pros! And I thought it was all being insulted by you!"

"So, what do we do now?" Zinkata pondered.

"You may be of some use while you're herrrrre." She suggested.  
"What's wrong?" Vivli quickly asked.

"Ever since Lich rrrrrraided the temple, we haven't been able to get back in there." Arcane explained. "He left something behind. Something guarding it. Something," She paused, searching for the right word, "Terrrrrrrrrifying. Everybody is too scared to enter."

"Ha!" Bootus laughed. "You mithra act like courageous warriors, but you're all as cowardly as Vivli is." Vivli crossed her arms, looking offended.

"Actually, we aren't. Unlike you galkas who just avoid combat digging away in your dark mines." Arcane enjoyed saying that, especially when she saw the look of offence on Bootus's face. "But anybody who approaches the temple is grrrrrrrripped in fear. It's like whatever is in there rrrrrrradiates fear, causes it to surrrrrrface. It's bizarrrrrrrrre." Arcane paused. "The few who managed to fight by it never emerged from the temple."

"And you want us to investigate?" Zinkata asked.

"If you want something to do." Arcane said casually. "I'm surrrrrre a scarrrrrry temple is nothing for the legendarrrrrrry Warriors of Light."

"That's Light Warriors." Bootus interjected.

"I think Viv had better sit this one out." Voldos suggested.

"What?" Vivli snapped. "Why?"

"Viv, you're scared of the dark, of spiders-" Voldos was cut off before he could continue.

"Of rats." Bootus interjected.

"I am not scared of rats!" Vivli cried. "They just make my skin crawl!"

"Exactly!" Bootus laughed.

"Hell, you're even scared of the water!" Voldos laughed.

"Only because I can't swim!" Vivli protested.

"So I think a temple that's evoking fear automatically in the bravest mithra warriors isn't the best place for you to go." Voldos finished his point.

"I have to side with them on this one Viv." Zinkata admitted.

"No way!" Vivli cried. "I'm going!"

The four Light Warrior's stood outside the Temple of Uggalepih.

"I've changed my mind." Vivli muttered, quaking.

"What the hell is that?" Zinkata trembled. "It doesn't make sense! I don't want to fear, but I do anyway!"

"That's what being scared is about." Vivli grumbled.

"But it's completely illogical!" Zinkata cried. "There's nothing to be afraid of!"

"_Still what being scared is all about._" Vivli muttered.

"Better believe her, Zin." Bootus said. "She's an expert." Vivli shot him an angry stare. "Come on, let's go!" Bootus was immune to fear simply because showing fear would mean that Vivli looked a little less stupid for being afraid, and so he wouldn't let himself. He was immune because he wanted to humiliate Vivli, even if inside his body was shaking in horror.

"No!" Vivli protested. "I'm staying here! I'm not going in there!" Bootus grabbed her by the tail.

"Been a while since I had to do this. Come on!" He dragged her off as she screamed in terror. Voldos and Zinkata exchanged a nervous glance.

"Guess we had better follow them." Zinkata said.

The temple had been plunged into darkness. What was making it so dark, none of the four knew, but it was dark none the less. Bootus could feel Vivli trying to tug away.

"Let me go!" She screamed. "I want to get out!"

"Calm down!" Bootus snapped, tugging on her tail hard enough to make her yelp and fall instantly silent. The four stood in the darkness, and waited.

"Does anybody else get that feeling we're not alone?" Zinkata asked nervously. They were breathing heavily. There was nothing but silence in the darkened temple.

Something burst into view right in Vivli's face. She screamed in total horror. Where it had come from, she couldn't tell, but it seemed to be the ceiling. It had the appearance of a hume, but its skin had degraded, worn down. Its eyes glowed a ghastly green, and it long strands of oily black hair running down from its head. Vivli fell over in pure horror. The other three adventurers instinctively drew their weapons, pointing them at the creature. The darkness receded, and as the light was restored they saw the mangled mithran corpses that were scattered all over the temple. They also saw the strange pale human, spitting and hissing at them. The ghostly green eyes glowed as it roared. It was unusually skinny, as if it had almost become a skeleton.  
"More victims for the slaughter!" It spat in a crackling voice.

"What are you?" Zinkata yelled, turning his fear to aggression. Bootus had clenched his fists, and was ready to attack. Voldos was shaking uneasily, his sword gripped tightly in his hands. Vivli was handling it much worse, curled up on the floor, sobbing in fear.

"A friend and henchman of Lich." The creature spat. "A servant to Lord Chaos, ruler of the demons!"

"Why are you here?" Voldos cried, using the same tactic as Zinkata to control his fear.

"To protect the temple of course." The demon snarled. "I am the demon of fear. Fear is a powerful weapon. More powerful than your metal." The green eyes focused on Voldos, and he shook, dropping his sword. "Do you not see? For all your accomplishments you are but slaves to your emotions. This I can exploit! Fear is your weakness and my strength. That is why you cannot defeat me!"

Lich laughed as he listened to his demon rant. He had dispatched it to keep the mithra out of the temple, hoping to delay their discovery of his plan to resurrect the fiends. Ingenuity had foiled this, having figured out what he did anyway, but he left his demon there. He knew the Light Warriors would defeat it despite its arrogance. He didn't care. His latest servant he had sent to track them down would eliminate them. Of this he was certain.

The demon was sent flying across the room with a forceful punch. Bootus started pounding it before its green eyes met his and he stumbled back, dropping to his knees in pure fear. The demon let out a roaring laugh.

"See?" It bellowed. "Not even galkan fury can stand before me!"

"You have a problem though." Zinkata pointed out, much more confident now the creature was distracted with evoking fear into Bootus. "There's four of us and one of you."

"Three of you." The demon motioned to Vivli, who, being less confident than the others, was curled up crying. "And fear is my weapon, but not the end." It drew a long sword, seemingly from nowhere, and sprang to Vivli, picking her up with the sword at her throat. "Now, if I can't kill all of you, I can simply threaten one. Move and she dies." Vivli shook with fear.

"What now?" Voldos asked nervously. Vivli gulped.

"Attack him." She said as bravely as she could. "I'm not afraid to die."

"What?" Bootus exclaimed, in shock that Vivli wasn't afraid of anything.

"I said I wasn't afraid to die." She said, sounding more confident. "I'm afraid of a lot of things, but I'm not afraid to die. I'm not afraid of the creature when all it threatens is my life. I'm not afraid of you! I defy you!" She started calling. "There is nothing to fear!"

"What?" The creature barked. "You can't do that! Stop!"

"No! I defy you! You do not scare me!" The others glanced to each other as Vivli yelled.

"As do I!" Zinkata cried.  
"And me!" Voldos said.

"Me too!" Bootus added.

"We defy you!" Zinkata yelled. The creature wobbled a little, letting Vivli go. She ran to the others. She was scared, but was shouting to dispose of that fear.

"You do not scare us!" She cried. "You said yourself, fear was your strength! Well, without it, you are nothing!"

"But you are afraid." The creature laughed. "You _are _scared."

"Fear is natural. You are unnatural. As our unnatural fear fades, what is left will defeat you!" Vivli was operating purely on theory.

"This isn't going to work, is it?" Zinkata whispered to Vivli.

"No. But he doesn't know that." Vivli whispered back. "I defy you!" She cried again, and the creature crouched down. "Now." She growled to Zinkata. "I defy you!"

As she yelled, Zinkata charged in and cut off the creature's head. It exploded in a puff of shadow. He smiled.

"Easy." He laughed.  
"You aren't really not afraid of death, are you?" Bootus asked Vivli.

"I'm petrified of it." Vivli answered. "But he didn't know that, either."

"Thought as much." Laughed Bootus.

"Wonder if we'll get a reward." Mused Voldos.  
"Hey!" Vivli protested. "If anybody's going to ask my parents for money, it's going to be me!"

"Well, unless we get back, we'll never know." Zinkata said casually to get the party moving. "Come on."

A figure approached Kazham.

"I am here, my lord Lich." He said into a linkshell.  
"The Light Warriors are returning from the temple." Lich told him. "Meet them in the jungle and destroy them there."

"Yes, my lord." The figure nodded.

The jungle was humid, and full of creatures. Creatures that knew to avoid the Light Warriors as they walked along the path. They could sense the recent achievement of the warriors in the temple, and they knew it wasn't wise to meddle with them.

Another figure, a figure clad in completely black armour, was walking along the same path. His face was under the heavy helmet, and could not be seen. Two gigantic horns rose from the armour, also black. And the armour wasn't black as if it was painted, but more as if no light could escape from it because it was concentrated darkness. The Light Warriors stopped in their tracks as they saw the figure.

"Hello." He said simply.

"Hi!" Vivli called nervously.

"Lich has decreed your destruction." The figure told them.

"Sheesh. We just beat one of his minions. Don't we ever get a break?" Sighed Bootus.

"Draw steel, or you will be destroyed without a fight." The figure warned. Voldos drew his bow and arrow and shot him.

"Case closed." Voldos said confidently. The figure rose, pulling the arrow out of his body.

"I am glad to see you wish to make this interesting." The figure drew two gigantic double broadswords from his back. How he held one in each hand was beyond the understanding of the heroes. "Now, let us see if you are worthy of your titles."

"Somebody up there hates us." Vivli grumbled. "We never get breaks."

"I swear, after we've killed Lich, we're taking a very _very _long holiday." Zinkata sighed.

"Are you going to talk me to death or fight?" The figure asked.

"Fight." Zinkata assured him. "We just had to get some complaining done first." The heroes drew their weapons. "Let's get on with it."

The figure rushed at the heroes as Zinkata, Voldos and Bootus rushed him. Vivli began casting. The Light Warriors were completely unaware of the foe they faced.

**Author's Note: Yes, I know I shamelessly stole the name of the staff. Also, if you read this chapter and the section with the staff wasn't there, its because I added it because I remembered it had to go in there. Oops.**


	18. XVIII

**Author's Note: I forgot to mention this (sorry!), but Andrew and Celphie are both characters from The Prelude by Thefrogkiller. Third in a trilogy, go read it. Or them. I mean, how many FFXI Fan Fic trilogies are there? What more could you ask for! Admitingly, Andrew and Celphie are…..slightly different in that. You can find out why.**

**Wow. That was almost like an advert.**

**PART XVIII**

The figure blocked easily as both Zinkata and Voldos attacked. Bootus couldn't manoeuvre safely into a position to attack without getting cut down, so held back. Vivli cast a blue shield around the warriors, the spell of protect. The figure drove them back, kicking Zinkata to the floor and focusing on Voldos. The elvaan warrior knocked away one of the figure's swords, hitting it to the ground, and slashed him across the chest, ripping through the armour. Blood appeared for a moment, before regenerating into skin again.

"Impressive," Remarked the mysterious foe, "But futile. I cannot be defeated."

"What are you?" Voldos asked curiously.

"Is is that hard to figure out?" The figure asked.

"No." Vivli stated. "But it can't be true."

"What is it Viv?" Zinkata asked, getting back up.

"I've only seen those regeneration powers once before." Vivli explained as Zinkata swung in for an attack. The figure blocked Zinkata, and the two duelled, before Voldos ran in to assist. Bootus came up behind the figure and hit him in the back. The figure swung around with both swords, getting stabbed from behind. He regenerated effortlessly, and slashed at Bootus, causing the galka to jump away. Vivli sighed. "As I was saying, I've only seen those powers once. In Olose. But he was the last of the werewolves. At least, that's what he thought."

"That's what he _said_." The figure taunted. "I'm sure he just wanted to comfort you. I am another, but I serve Lich!"

"Why?" Zinkata asked the obvious question.

"Why? You would ask why?" The figure seemed surprised. "Only through the path of evil can a werewolf achieve his full potential. Thus I proceed as I do."

"But Lich is a mindless slaughterer!" Vivli protested. "Look at those bodies back there! Slaughtered! Murdered! Just so he could walk through the town! He kills without point! That's more than evil! It's uncontrolled! Unstoppable!"

"Someone sounds a little sore." The figure laughed. "If people get in the way of us, we shall kill them. You are in the way. Hand over the orb and I may be able to spare you." Zinkata took his turn to let out a laugh.

"Do you really think I'm going to give it to you? We'll die before we do!" He cried.

"So be it." The figure said with a casual shrug.

He ran at Zinkata, who was left retreating and blocking against the double sworded onslaught. The figure stabbed through Zinkata, and turned around to meet Bootus and Voldos.

"Zinkata!" Voldos screamed, running at the armoured figure. Vivli quickly started casting healing spells, closing up Zinkata's wound. The figure beat away Voldos and turned to Vivli.

"Ah yes, it looks like you have regeneration powers of your own." The figure remarked. "Except I can eliminate yours." He marched towards Vivli, but Zinkata stood in the way. Voldos attacked from behind as Zinkata attacked from the front. Blocking with both swords the figure began to take hits. Bootus charged him, knocking the figure down and slamming him with his fists. There was a sudden tearing sound and Bootus was flung off. A half wolf, half human, gigantic form rose. He had transformed.

The creature was bigger than even Olose in his transformation, bearing ugly yellow fangs and gigantic claws. Its fur was black and its eyes red, making it look far more evil than Olose had. He pounced on Zinkata, ripping off his satchel and grabbing the orb. The creature then turned to Vivli, advancing on her. She drew her staff in fear. It jumped at her, pinning her down. She managed to strike at him with her staff, expecting it to be feeble. Smoke rose and a loud burning sound pierced the air. The creature recoiled, grasping its own arm. She stared in wonder at her own staff.

"Of course!" She cried. "It's made out of silver!"

"Yes." The creature snarled. "But do you, girl, really think you are capable of wielding it against me?" Before Vivli could reply it jumped at her, and kicked with its gigantic claw like foot. She flew back with enough power to break a tree in half as she hit. Her body fell limp. Zinkata leapt at the creature, cutting it across the forehead with an angry cry. The wound instantly healed as Zinkata spun his sword for another attack. Bootus ran to Vivli's unconscious body, and grabbed the staff. He ran in and slammed the creature across the back of the head as hard as he possibly could. The creature fell forwards, yelping in pain. It leapt an incredible distance, landing high up in a tree. "I have what I came for!" It spat. "You shall be dealt with soon enough!" With that, it charged off into the distance.

"After it!" Cried Voldos.

"We can't!" Zinkata shouted in response. "Vivli's in bad shape, she needs us." The three sighed, looking at it as it rapidly disappeared in the distance. "We could never have caught it anyway."

"Great." Sighed Bootus. "Now Lich has all he needs to conquer the world once and for all."

"We had better get back to Kazham." Zinkata said solemnly, picking up Vivli's body. "But just what we do now, I don't know."

"We lose." Voldos told him. "That's what happens now. We've already lost."

The three explained the situation to Arcane, Dedji and Cruth in Kazham while Vivli lay unconscious. The news was not well received.

"That's it then." Sighed Cruth. "The worrrrrld is doomed."

"Not necessarily." Zinkata had had time to reflect on events, and was prepared to consider alternatives.

"Yeah," Voldos joined in, "I mean, Chaos had achieved everything he needed to conquer the world and we stopped him, then, didn't we?"

"So what's yourrrr plan?" Arcane asked. A silence fell over them.

"Well, we don't have one." Zinkata admitted. "Yet. We're working on it!"

"Don't take too long." Dedji suggested. "I don't think Lich is going to wait forrrrr you to plan his downfall."

"You've seen the devastation he's caused here." Cruth told them. "He killed so many, and then those who ventured into the temple too. We can't let him cause any more harrrrm to anybody. This has to end."

"What do you suggest?" Zinkata asked.

"It's simple." Cruth told him. "We have to defeat him. Now."

"What?" Vivli sounded very worried, having just woken up to here this.

"It's the simplest solution. We must go and fight Lich before he gets a chance to put his plan into action." Cruth explained, too passionate to acknowledge his daughter had just woken up from serious injuries.

"Every time we've battled Lich we've lost. Why would this time be any different?" Voldos asked.

"We know white magic hurts his troops." Vivli said. "Perhaps I could hurt him."

"Viv, I'd rather throw myself off a cliff than have to rely on your combat ability." Bootus told Vivli, leaving the mithra looking quite offended.

Meanwhile, in the depths of San D'Oria's mighty chateau, Lich was busy preparing to unleash his friends. Three orbs spun around the main dark orb, floating in the air. Lightning began to fire from the dark orb into each of the lighter ones. One by one they began to light up with a white glow. One exploded, and as the smoke settled, the form of a multi armed woman whose bottom half was a large red snake emerged.

"Kary, it is good to see you again." Remarked Lich. Kary examined the six swords she had in her six hands.

"It has been too long since these swords have tasted blood." She remarked. "It is time to fulfil my purpose."

"In time, Kary, in time." Lich told her. "The other crystals do not exist as of yet. They must be constructed before we can fully drain this land of life."

"And the Light Warriors?" Kary asked.

"They still live, but not for long." He turned to the black armoured figure. "My servant here has fought them. He assures me they will be no match for our combined might." Another crystal shattered, and with a roar a three headed dragon emerged. "Tiamat. Welcome back." He said with a twisted smile.

"It is about time." The first head said.

"I want my revenge." Said the second.

"We all do, but in time." Lich held out his hand to signify waiting.

"The crystals are not constructed yet." Kary told the dragon. The fourth crystal shattered. Kraken, the gigantic blue squid with a fat humanoid body emerged.

"At last! I have physical form!" He cried.

"The four of us are reunited, thanks to my servant here." Lich pointed to the armoured figure.

"Who are you?" The third head of Tiamat asked.

"I am without a name." The figure replied. "So if you must call me anything, call me Nameless."

"He's a werewolf." Explained Lich. "Very powerful."

"What is your plan, Lich?" Kraken asked in a booming voice. "I have not slept for a thousand years to talk to your henchman!"

"Be nice." The second head of Tiamat warned.

"Be nice? What for?" The first head said in reply. "Kraken is right. We need to attack as soon as possible."

"It is not that easy." Lich warned. "They have found a way to defeat my skeletal troops, and our own hoards are long gone."

"I shall raise sea creatures from the ocean itself." Kraken announced.

"We wish to get to work on the air crystal." The first head of Tiamat said.  
"With it, we can rebuild our sky fortress." The second head explained.

"From there, we will be able to see to the return of our lord, and need not worry about interference from the pathetic land goers." The third head filled in the blanks.

"Excellent." Lich remarked.

"Then it's settled!" Kraken boomed. "My minions will crush the mortals and-"

"Your water minions are weak." Kary stated. "I can create much more powerful minions from fire." Kary stated. "To do so, I need a volcano. Where can I go?" Lich paused, as an ugly smile crept across his skeletal features.

"Kazham." He said.

The group of adventurers had pulled up chairs to consider their options and thoughtfully as possible. Vivli was still lying in a simple bed, too badly hurt to easily move (or cast healing magic on herself).

"We can't fight him." She groaned, after the group had paused in consideration. "Rushing in is stupid. We're talking about the fate of the world."

"So, Princess, what do you suggest?" Bootus was frustrated, so enjoyed mocking Vivli to relieve this.

"I don't know!" She snapped. "But we have to be careful!" Arcane sighed.

"Calm down. Bickerrrring isn't going to get us anywherrrrrre." She said with authority. The group fell silent. "We have lost the orrrrrrrb, so it is safe to assume Lich will have resurrected the fiends. We have to ask what his next step will be."

"Well," Zinkata began, "We know he wants to reconstruct the four crystals. Since he used San D'Oria for the Earth Crystal, it's logical to assume he's going to use each other nation for each other crystal."

"For which he'll need an arrrrmy." Dedji pointed out.

"So how will he get a new army that isn't weak against white magic?" Voldos asked.

"Depends on the fiend." Vivli groaned. "Kary, the fire fiend, could create powerful monsters from lava, but would need a source. Kraken creates weaker ones from water. Tiamat would seem to create them from the air, but I don't know how he manages that."

"Where can Kary find a good source of fire?" Zinkata asked.

"Herrrrre." Cruth answered. "The nearby volcano."

"Where can Kraken find a good source of water?" Voldos asked. Everybody stared at him. "Oh, the sea, right."

"Great." Zinkata muttered. "We aren't getting far here. We now can assume that either we're going to end up with Kary knocking on our door, or an army of sea creatures on the side of Kraken. And Altana knows what Tiamat is up to."

"We could be in trouble here." Vivli muttered from her bed weakly. "I don't think we can win."

"Perhaps we can." Zinkata suggested. "It's time for a strike. We can't win through battle, but the last time we met Lich, he did tell us his entire plan."

"A flaw of all villains." Arcane sighed.

"If we can repeat this, we may discover his plans and be able to counter them." Zinkata quickly explained.

"Let me get this straight." Bootus said in disbelief. "You want to charge at the villain."

"Yes." Zinkata replied.

"In the hope he'll explain all his plans to you?"

"Yes."

"And then turn around and walk out again?"

"Yes."

"You're mad!" Bootus cried.

"We would be able to assess his strength that way." Voldos admitted. "Provided we kept ready with the _Raven, _we could easily escape from San D'Oria. Hell, we've done it enough times."

"So we're going back to San D'Oria _again_?" Bootus shook his head. "This is absolutely stupid."

"Isn't everything we do?" Remarked Zinkata.

"Let's go then!" Vivli groaned.

"Oh no!" Zinkata told her. "You aren't going anywhere."

"What?" Vivli protested from the bed.  
"Firstly, you're injured." He pointed out.  
"We'll find someone to heal me, then I can go!" She countered.

"Secondly, and don't take this the wrong way, we need to rely on our own skill and ability to escape. I'm not convinced you have that skill." Vivli went to reply, but was clearly too hurt to think of anything to say. Zinkata saw this, and quickly sat down beside her. "Look." He said, trying to think of a way to make her less upset. "I'd love to have you along. But Lich would consider you such a threat he'd kill you on sight." He paused. He could see she was still offended. "Besides, if Kary does attack Kazham, their going to need someone here to help them. Who better than you, eh?" She smiled at this.

"Yeah. I guess you're right." She sat up painfully. "Fine, I'll stay here and defend Kazham." _Thank Altana for that _thought Zinkata. "But, take this." She held out her silver staff. "In case you run into that strange werewolf again. The silver will help protect you."

"Thanks." Zinkata said with a smile.

"You can use that." Voldos said sarcastically. "I'm sticking to a sword and bow."

"Right. We don't have long, so let's get moving." Zinkata marched out of the room. Voldos followed. Bootus shrugged.  
"This is insane!" He cried after them, following.

"Good luck!" Vivli called after them.

Zinkata's long hair was blowing in the wind as the _Raven _soared over the water towards Jeuno, and soon, San D'Oria.

"Why didn't you want Vivli to come?" Bootus suddenly asked, walking up behind him. "Not that I don't appreciate the new silence and lack of weak mages to worry about."

"That's it, really. She is weak." He paused. "Not really the right word." He admitted. "I mean, she's, well, frail I guess. You saw what happened in the jungle. One attack and she can barely move. It's far too risky to take her along."

"So what? You're just gonna throw her out of the party?" Bootus asked.  
"No. I can't do that." Zinkata sighed.

"Then what? Keep making excuses when we go to do anything dangerous?" The galka shrugged at this suggestion.

"No." He stopped. "Look, she's capable of most things. There's just no reason to risk her unnecessarily. You have to admit, she would just slow us down. We have to get out of there quickly."

"That's another thing! What's with this suicidal plan! If you even think it deserves to be called a plan." Bootus asked, sounding almost angry.

"We needed to do something. Anything. We can't sit around and talk this one out." Zinkata explained. There was a pause. "You don't think I hurt Vivli too much do you?" He brought the conversation back to the subject of the little mithra.

"I suspect she'll feel bad, but I'm sure she'll get over it. It is for her own good." Bootus answered.

"I hope so." Zinkata sighed. "She's been through a lot recently. She doesn't need anymore upsetting her."

Vivli was crying into her pillow. She had been so much more confident in the last few days, having discovered the usefulness of her white magic and her abilities to use it against Lich and his minions. But now, she had been told to stay behind. Been told she wasn't good enough. She felt so left out. And what hurt the most was she knew they were right. She knew she was being a liability. She could barely move now. She groaned in pain whenever she tried. She even considering running away, but knew that would be stupid. She sighed, remembering her white mage's oath. To help whoever she could, however she could. But she found herself questioning if she was really helping. She tried to shake off such thoughts. Think of something else. Olose popped into her head, and she cried more. He was dead. And she knew, even if she was there, there was nothing she could have done to save him. What could she do? A scrawny little mithra like herself. What would happen when it was Voldos, or Zinkata, or Bootus? The last time they went away on their own, when they came back Olose was dead. What would happen this time? Would they come back, and one of them be dead? And she'd be stuck in Kazham, lying in a bed. She let tears pour from her eyes. She couldn't leave them to die. She tried to get up, but her arms gave up on her and she collapsed. She couldn't help them. They were alone. She reached for the small black linkshell pearl. For a moment she thought she could hear somebody else's thoughts. Her eyes widened in horror. Somebody else was listening! She could not mistake it. It was Lich! And he knew the Light Warriors were coming to San D'Oria.


	19. XIX

**Author's Note: Yeah, I know I'm making FAR to many of these. This is just a point to say: I know some of the stuff that happens in this chapter is ridiculous (especially some of the stuff the _Raven _does), but this is the fan fiction equal to pop corn movies, I'm allowed to get away with it.**

**PART XIX**

Two of the mithra guards stood in silence at the door of the small hut. They quickly spun around as they heard a noise behind them. Vivli had tried to stand, and fallen. She kept herself supported against a wall, but couldn't move easily. Her back had been badly hurt (she had been thrown through a tree after all), and so her legs were barely working.

"Please Princess!" Cried a guard, rushing to her side and supporting her. "You shouldn't be standing up."

"Don't call me that!" Protested Vivli. "A-and I have to!" She stumbled over her words as they laid her back on the bed. "It's urgent I speak to someone! My mum! My dad! Dedji! Somebody!"

"Okay, just calm down Princess." Vivli managed to shoot the guard an angry look. "We'll just go find somebody." The guard ran out of the room.

Vivli grasped the black pearl in her hand. She could contact and warn the others, but then Lich would know as well. She had to keep it a secret. If she could warn the Light Warriors without Lich finding out, they would have the advantage. They could plan something. She attempted to sit up, and groaned in pain.

"Sis!" Dedji called. "Watch it!"

"Ow." Vivli muttered.

"What's so imporrrrrrrrrrrrrrtant you almost killed yourrrrrrrrrrself standing up?" Dedji quickly asked.

"I was fine!" Vivli cried. "I have to tell you! This is really important!"

"What is?" Dedji asked.

"Get rid of this first." Vivli whispered. Passing her the linkshell pearl. Dedji looked at it curiously, and threw it out the hut window.

"Done. Now what arrrrrrrrre you talking about?"

"The linkshells. Lich somehow has one. I could hear his thoughts when I grabbed it just now. He's listened to everything. He knows everything we know. He knows that Zinkata, Voldos and Bootus are heading to San D'Oria!" Vivli explained, sounding frantic.

"Whoa, calm down, sis." Dedji said as comfortingly as she could. "What do you want to do?"

"We need to warn them! Take one of the transport airships from Jeuno. Chase them and warn them before they arrive." Vivli quickly suggested.

"Look. Just rest, okay." Dedji told her. "You're not thinking straight. The _Raven _is the fastest thing to ever grace the air, remember?" Vivli weakly sighed.

"Then what can we do? They're walking into a trap!" Vivli was crying with fear.

"Use the linkshell. Lich will know but it's your only option!" Dedji explained.

"Yes. I'll-" Vivli tried to get up, but screamed in pain. "Ow!" She groaned, crying. She let out an angry scream, and with all her energy cast a spell. She felt the warm white light wash over her and rose to her feet. "That's more like it!" She cried triumphantly. She marched to the door, not noticing the lack of guards. She froze in her tracks when she got outside.

"Doesn't feel the same without one of us being sick." Voldos commented.

"No time for that now." Zinkata told him. "We're approaching San D'Oria." The Elvaan city hung in the distance.

"What's that?" Bootus asked. "On the horizon."

"Looks like-" Zinkata paused. "No, it is! It's dragons! Their…" Zinkata trailed off.

"Waiting for us." Voldos finished.

"How can they be waiting for us if they don't know we're coming?" Zinkata pondered. "Break off, Cid! Get us out of here!" He suddenly cried as the dragons closed in on the small black airship.

"We're in serious trouble!" Bootus cried.

"Voldos!" Zinkata cried. "Me and you are on the cannons! Bootus! You're reloading."

"Oh, fun." Sighed the galka.  
"Cid! I hope you know some evasive manoeuvres." Zinkata cried.  
"Oh, believe me." Cid smiled. "This bay will make your eyes spin!" The _Raven _quickly began to drop towards the ground as the hoards of skeletal dragons closed in on the tiny ship. Leading the hoard was a mighty three headed beast: Tiamat.

Vivli gulped, hard.  
"Hello, child." Kary said, focusing instead on her six swords.

"Urm. Hi?" Vivli said very nervously.

"I'm just cutting through." The fiend forced her words out so they had that fake pleasant sound. The implied venom made Vivli shiver. Helped by the fact she ran her sword blades together as she said the word 'cutting'.

"I-I-I-I can't let you do this." Vivli stammered.

"What are you going to do?" Kary asked, lowering her weapons. "Go on. Take your shot. You're weak girl, you can't harm me."

"I can!" Dedji cried, drawing her scythe from her back. "And can all of our trrrrroops."

"Your troops? Do you remember what happened the last time you tried to fight us?" Kary asked. "You died. You lost. I tire of this. I shall burn this village to the ground!" She shot a fireball at the hut behind Vivli. Dedji pushed Vivli over, and the hut exploded behind them into flames. "See? You are no match for me."

"We have an army at ourrrr disposal." Spat Dedji, getting up with the flames burning behind her. "We won't give in easily!"

"You'd throw yourselves at me just to die?" Kary asked.

"If we have to. We'll do whatever we can to save this worrrrrld." Dedji bent down, whispering to Vivli who had just clambered to her feet. "Go. Get the linkshell. Warn the others." Vivli nodded, running behind the burning hut.

"I am the Fiend of the Fire!" Kary announced. "Do you not realise what that means?"

"I don't care what you are!" Dedji cried. The mithra around had drawn multiple weapons and were advancing on Kary. Kary let out a loud laugh.

Vivli ran around the back of the hut and felt a cold hand grab her, lifting her off the floor. She was staring into the helmet of Nameless.

"Fancy meeting you here." He remarked. Vivli squirmed. "I bet you regret giving that staff away now."

"Put me down!" Vivli cried in panic.

"No." Nameless said calmly.

"Please!" She begged. "Why hurt me? What can I do?"

"Well, you certainly are a courageous warrior aren't you?" Nameless laughed as tears ran down Vivli's face. The heat from the burning hut and the sounds as battle erupted behind them frightened her even more.

The _Raven _hurtled a few feet above the ground at high speeds. Tiamat followed it, with hoards of dragons not far behind.

"We can only fire from the sides!" Zinkata yelled. "We can't get a clean shot if all we do is run!"

"Why didn't you say you wanted to shoot?" Cried Cid. The airship suddenly shook violently, spinning in the air until it faced the other way, and powered through the dragons. Zinkata and Voldos fired, blasting two of the beasts from the sky as the _Raven _soared out of the monster hoards. The dragons spun around in the air.

"I think I know how Vivli feels." Muttered Voldos, looking green from the ship's tight spin. Fireballs slammed into the back of the ship as it flew.

"Cid!" Bootus cried. "The ship is on fire!"

"I'll fix that!" Cid replied with a laugh. The _Raven _was hurtling low over the dunes. The sea was speeding towards them.

"Oh no." The galka muttered.

One of the small wooden huts exploded, hurtling a young mithra guard through the air. The troops rushed Kary, who beat them away easily. Dedji slashed with her scythe, but found it knocked from her hands by the fiend. Goblins had poured from some unseen source, and were helping the evil creature in her attack. The mithra were panicking, trying desperately to fight them all off.  
"So, this is all I get from the warrior princess?" Kary asked in disappointment.

"You can strrrrrrrike me down," Dedji spat, "But somebody will always take my place."

"Not after this." Kary laughed. "Today will see the end of the Light Warriors, and tomorrow will see the end of Vana'diel."

"Leave her alone!" Another mithra cried. It was the Chieftainess, now fully healed and stood with a vicious looking double bladed spear.

"This should be entertaining." Kary remarked, approaching the brave mithra as battle raged all around.

"What are you going to do to me?" Vivli sobbed as Nameless's grip tightened.  
"The masters do not want you dead." Nameless reassured her. "But I may take that pleasure if you prove to be forceful." Vivli pounding at his armoured arm, completely unable to hurt him.

"Are you the last of the werewolves then?" Vivli asked, trying to distract herself.

"Yes. The last. All others are dead." He almost smirked as he spoke.

"So that's it. Olose is definitely gone." Vivli cried. "I'll kill you for that! I'll kill you, and your masters!"

"You couldn't harm a hornet." Nameless laughed. "Besides, you should get your facts right."  
"What?" Vivli asked. Nameless removed his helmet, throwing it into Vivli's arms. She fell from his grip as she caught it, and was pulled to the ground by its weight. It weighed far more than she could ever lift. A reminder of the strength of her opponent.

"I am the last of the werewolves." The revealed figure said. "I have been for six hundred years. Six hundred years and only now do I realise my true potential!"

"No!" Vivli sobbed. "It can't be!" Olose Sampson stood before her.

"The rear engine is out!" Bootus yelled as the flaming _Raven _limped through the air.

"Which one?" Cid cried.  
"There are two?" The galka asked in confusion. A skeleton rammed into the airship, causing it to spin. Cid easily regained control and slammed it into the sea. The spray kicked up, drowning the dragons and knocking some beneath the waves. He pulled the airship into the air. The dragons continued to chase the tiny ship as it rocketed along as fast as possible.

"Move the cannons so they're facing forwards at the bow of the ship and tie them down." Ordered Cid.  
"What? Why?" Voldos cried.

"Just do it!" Cid commanded. The three warriors quickly got about doing this, leaving the cannons facing the only direction the dragons weren't: the direction they were fleeing.

"Tie them down!" Cid repeated. "Firmly!" The warriors did so as quickly as possible. "Now, hold on to the ropes, this is going to get rough!" They exchanged a nervous glance as they did so. The _Raven _pulled back into the air, flying into a loop the loop. The adventurers found themselves upside down, clinging to the ropes. Fragments of wood flew off the tiny airship as it came under immense stresses no ship was designed to cope with. It managed to pull up just above the water, kicking ocean spray everywhere. "Fire! Now!" Cid cried. The warriors staggered to their feet and unleashed the weapons the best they could in their dazed state. They blasted apart several dragons who were completely unprepared for such an act. More tumbled from the sky as they crashed into each other in their confusion. "YEEHAH!" The engineer yelled. Tiamat stopped in the air, and flew directly at the airship. Cid spun the wheel, and the _Raven _swung to the side as Tiamat shot underneath it, ripping into its hull. Voldos peered over the edge.

"That was too close!" He commented.

Kary advanced on the Chieftainess and attacked with all six arms. She managed to disarm the mithran warrior easily, and the Chieftainess was powerless to watch as her weapon bounced away. Kary was about to strike her down as Dedji ran in, slashing the fiend across the back. Kary spun around, and struck down, delivering a triple cut across Dedji's face. She fell back, with three diagonal lines running down her face (a scar that would mark her forever). The Chieftainess grabbed her spear and cut upwards, slicing off one of Kary's arms. The fiend reeling agony.

"YOU WILL PAY FOR THAT!" She bellowed, blasting a monstrous fireball at the Chieftainess. She was blown back and into a hut. Kary promptly ignited it.

Meanwhile, all around, the mithra were locked in combat with the goblins. The brave and experienced mithran warriors were winning, but the cost was terrible, and Kary in the centre was ripping apart anybody who got near. And the current challenger to the fiend was Dedji alone.

Tears streamed down Vivli's face.

"How could you?" She screamed. "How? How could you betray us? I loved you!"

"You were a little girl with a crush." Olose spat. "And you actually think I cared for you? Ha. You might of ignited my interest for a moment. Something to give myself a little enjoyment in my spare time, perhaps. But believe me, to an immortal being you were nothing. You _are _nothing. You're pathetic."

"You don't mean that!" Vivli sobbed. "What's Lich done to you?"

"What's he done to me?" Olose asked in surprise. "Why, he's shown me my potential. My power. How strong I can truly be if I use my powers for what they were designed."

"They were designed for evil!" Vivli cried. "Evil! You've become a monster!"

"I _am _a monster!" Olose snarled. "I always was and always shall be!"

"No! Your body was, but not your soul! Your soul was good! _You _were good!" She had slumped to the floor, crying in disbelief and horror.

"Times change, Vivli." His voice almost sounded like it was cracking. "Times have changed. You have a choice. I _am _taking you to my masters, but you shall either come alive, or dead."

"No. You won't kill me." She rose to her feet, trying her best to stop her tears. "I don't believe you will. There must still be good in you somewhere. You can't extinguish that." Olose laughed, striking out, and knocking Vivli unconscious with one punch.

"Your persistence shall be your undoing." Olose told her now unconscious body. "If you continue to believe I shall return to the side of light, you shall be destroyed." Olose smiled. "Of course, what else can you think? You have too much faith, girl. And you will die for it."

The _Raven _dipped down as it skimmed back towards San D'Oria.

"We're losing engine power!" Cid groaned. "We can't take much more of this!"

"Guys!" Bootus bellowed. The three heroes turned to see Tiamat climbing on the back of the airship.  
"Let us destroy them!" The first head announced.

"Yes. Let's." The second said. Voldos unleashed arrows and Bootus charged. Tiamat blew Bootus back with a bolt of lightning. Zinkata was busy working on something.

"It is the end for you." The third head announced. There was a loud blast and Tiamat fell from the ship. Zinkata stood over the cannon he had managed to turn around.

"Some villains talk for far too long." There was a tearing sound, and the entire ship shuddered. Tiamat spiralled back, gripping one of the large propellers of the _Raven._

"We're going down!" Cid announced. "Brace yourselves!"

Dedji lasted almost fifteen seconds before she was disarmed again and sliced in the leg. She turned tail to run.

"YOU SHALL BE CRUSHED!" Bellowed the now five-armed Kary in fury. The fiend focuses singly on the retreating mithra. Dedji ran as fast as she could and at the last moment dived into the sea. Kary couldn't stop herself, and plummeted into the ocean after her. The monster let out a sharp hiss. "CURSES!" She bellowed. "I'LL BE BACK! THIS ISN'T OVER!" Kary burst into flames as she teleported away. Dedji climbed out of the water as quickly as possible. A large airship flew overhead. The monsters were retreating, knowing that they couldn't win here.

"Vivli?" Cried Dedji. "VIVLI?"

On the deck of the gigantic airship, Olose held the body of Vivli.

"You know, you're pretty." He told the body. He ran his tongue over his teeth. "I wonder, if I bit you, what you would be like as a werewolf?" He went to do it, but stopped himself. "No, my master wouldn't allow that." He convinced himself.

"VIVLI?" Screamed Dedji in panic. A badly burnt mithra; the Chieftainess, limped to her side.

"Is she dead?" The Chieftainess was blunt.

"I can't find her!" Dedji wept. "Dead or alive! I think they've kidnapped her."

"Kidnapping the princess?" The Chieftainess sighed. "How original."

"We have to get her back!" Dedji screamed.

"They shall be taking her to San D'Oria." The Chieftainess told her. "We must put our faith in the Light Warriors."

The _Raven _hurtled over the wall to San D'Oria, chipping it badly and ripping up the bottom of the airship. It slammed into the ground, ripping down a street and crashed into a building. The adventurers were thrown into the brick. Zinkata got up, bleeding badly. Voldos was unconscious. Bootus grabbed him.  
"We have to move! Now!" Zinkata announced. Cid ran out of the cockpit, looking badly hurt.

"My baby!" He cried.

"Come on!" Zinkata snapped, and the four ran from the airship. The _Raven _exploded spectacularly just as they escaped, throwing them to the ground.

"There goes the gunpowder." Sighed Bootus.

"Now Lich knows exactly where we are. Come on! We need to find cover!" The heroes disappeared down a dark street.


	20. XX

**PART XX**

Day had broken and the four hiding heroes had not been found. They had spent the time in the sewers beneath the city, which were suitably huge and impossible to explore. Cid had decided to take a look above, and was peering into the streets.

"So what now?" Bootus asked glumly. "We can't escape. The _Raven _is completely destroyed."

"Don't remind me." Cid grumbled from the ladder he was perched on.

"Well, remember why we're here." Zinkata replied. "We have no reason to give up yet. We have to go and confront Lich, and discover his plan."

"I think somebody else should make up our plans from now on." Voldos moaned.

"Hey!" Zinkata protested. "We don't really have a choice!"

"If we're running away from Lich, we need an escape route. We don't have one anymore." Bootus stated. "So we can't go through with your idea."

"Wait a minute!" Exclaimed Cid. "Yes we can! One of the passenger airships is coming in. Must have been left here when Lich attacked the city! He must have been using it to get his troops around. If we could steal that-"

"Then its settled." Zinkata smiled. "We attack Lich, persuade him to tell us his plan, and then leg it back to the airship, stealing it and escaping. Piece of cake." The others looked sceptical.

Vivli had awoken locked in a room on the airship. It was much smoother than riding on the _Raven _so at least she hadn't been sick, but her situation was just as bad. She'd spent a large amount of her time crying. She didn't know what had happened to her friends in San D'Oria or her family in Kazham. Everybody she knew might be dead. Everybody but Olose, who had now become evil and almost killed her, twice. She had felt so strongly about him, and she had lost him once, only to discover he suffered a fate worse than death.

The door to the cabin swung open, and Olose strode in confidently. He was still dressed in the black armour, but without the helmet. He sat on a crate in the corner of the room. Vivli cowered across the room.

"Sleep well?" Olose asked.

"Go away." Vivli managed to say through her tears.

"I thought I could tell you some things." Olose said to her.

"What could I possibly want to know?" She sobbed.

"What we're going to do to you." She looked up in fear as Olose said this. "Don't worry, we won't kill you. You're special. You are our gift to the great Lord Chaos. When he returns, we will present you to him, and he may do as he pleases with you." Vivli shuddered. "He has an urge for vengeance a million years in the making, and you will be the first thing he gets to take it out on." Vivli looked to the door, and to Olose. He was sat at the back of the cell, on a crate. She bolted for the door, making it out and slamming it behind her. Olose burst through in pursuit.

Vivli ran into the main hold, that seemed to now be transporting multiple crates. She dove behind one, and cowered, pulling her knees up to her chest to make herself as small as possible. She heard Olose's footsteps and squeezed her eyes tightly shut.

"What's this?" He asked with a mock laugh. "You're trying to hide?" He paused, and sniffed the air. "As a werewolf, my senses are enhanced beyond anything you can imagine. You have a very unique scent on a ship full of monsters." He paused again as he caught it. "Oh. A very pleasant one." Vivli cringed and felt her entire skin crawl at the slime dripping from Olose's voice. She heard his foot steps getting louder and frantically looked around her. She saw a plank of wood resting against one of the crates. She grabbed it, swinging it just as Olose came into view. She struck Olose in the face with it and ran, throwing the plan to the floor. Olose didn't stop for a second, shaking the strike off as if it was nothing. He lunged, grabbing her by the tail. She yelped in pain. He pulled her and held her tightly. She squirmed, but couldn't move. "Come with me." He said it as if she had a choice. She was helplessly dragged onto the deck. He grabbed her by the neck and held her out of the side, dangling high above the city below. "I could drop you now. Claim you escaped and jumped when forced to. Nobody would disbelieve me." Tears streamed down Vivli's face as she struggled in fear. "Give me one reason not to." Vivli was too afraid to speak. "One reason, girl. Tell me _now, _or you die."

"Because I love you!" She wept. Olose's eyes widened. He pulled her back and threw her across the deck. She crashed down painfully.

"Love me?" He laughed. "You're sick and twisted. How can you love me? Look at what I am." He walked closer to her, and picked her up again. She screamed in a combination of pain from being thrown across the deck and fear. He held her out again, over the side. "Don't lie to me. If you once had a pathetic crush like you claim, then the man who had that crush on is dead." He paused. "Give me one good reason not to kill you." He paused. "Speak!" He bellowed. Vivli was sobbing in fear. The airship was descending into the city.

"B-b-b-b-b-b-" She tried to speak, but was too afraid.

"It would be an awful waste to let you fall, but I'm willing to do it." Olose said evilly.

"Because I'm afraid!" She sobbed.

"Why is that a reason?" Olose asked. "Why do I care?" Vivli's mind started racing. She could see Olose was deadly serious. The next few moments would decide whether she lived or died.

"Because _you're _afraid." She managed to say. Olose pulled her back.

"What?" He snarled.

"You're afraid of me." She said. "I'm a Light Warrior. You're afraid I can stop you. That's why you want to throw me over the edge. Because you're afraid I'll escape and defeat you and your masters." Vivli was an avid reader, and had read enough stories (and had enough experience) to know challenging an evil creature was something they could not ignore.

"Afraid of you?" Olose laughed. "You're a pathetic little girl. You can't even use a sword. You sit back and heal your friends. You rely on them to fight for you. What could you do to me?"

"What could I do to Chaos?" She asked. "I defeated him, didn't I?"

"You used your friends!" Snapped Olose. "Friends that will soon be dead!" He thrust her out over the edge again. "If you can defeat me, why don't you do it now? Why? Because you can't! You're powerless!" Vivli's heart beat picked up again, racing. Her plan had failed. He paused, and pulled her back in. "I will let Chaos kill you." He dragged her away. "Your fear has amused be sufficiently." Vivli let the tears stream down her face as she sobbed in disbelief. He had just been toying with her _for fun_. He hurled her into her cell, and left her curled up, sobbing.

Voldos, Zinkata and Bootus crept into the Chateau. They had left Cid to plan the theft of the airship while they went to discover Lich's plan. They had seen the big airship land just before entering, and so were expecting a lot of movement as the troops transferred from the ship to the Chateau and vice versa. Luckily there was very little of this. They reached the throne room, and listened outside intently.

"Kary, you have failed!" Boomed the voice of Lich.

"The victory in Kazham is temporary." Kary reassured Lich bitterly.

"They won in Kazham?" Whispered Zinkata to Voldos. "I can't believe they attacked so quickly!"

"At least the others are safe." Voldos said in response.

Vivli was thrown into a cell in the dark dungeons beneath San D'Oria.

"Who are you?" Vivli sobbed as she got up. "You're not Olose. Olose was kind and caring. He'd never hurt a friend. He'd never hurt me."

"Why can't you get this through your pretty little head?" Olose snarled, marching towards Vivli. She shrunk away. "I am Olose Sampson. I'm not another personality. I haven't replaced him. I _am _him. Simply, I discovered power. I am the same person, whether you like it or not." He turned to leave. Vivli stood again.

"Don't you think I know?" She cried after him. "I've done my research! I'm a white mage, it's my job to read about curses and illnesses. I know about the werewolf curse. I know that your blood runs stronger if you feel negative emotions. But that power you have, you can only have it if you block out every bit of good from your body! You aren't Olose! You're his dark side! But you can't crush the good side entirely. It's too strong!" Olose stopped, turning around. It almost looked as if tears were forming in his eyes.

"It would be wise to not concern yourself with me." He said. "If you get the opportunity, strike me down. Don't try and turn me back. My power now is too great to be broken." He turned and left, locking the cage door behind him. Vivli ran to the bars, watching him leave. Was it the old Olose who had just spoke to her? She slumped back down in defeat.

The three Light Warrior's heard somebody else enter the room.

"Ah, Nameless, I hope you have news for me that is slightly more positive." Lich announced through what sounded like gritted teeth.

"I have a gift." Olose smiled. "She's in the dungeon right now. I made sure her spirit was sufficiently broken."

"Good. Chaos will be pleased." Lich remarked. "More so than with our other failure."

"Ha!" Kraken boomed. "Kary may have failed, but my armies are prepared. We can march on Bastok as soon as you feel ready."

"We shall wait, Kraken, my friend." Lich said with a hand held up. "Tiamat has nearly reconstructed the wind crystal. When he is ready, he will rip the land from here and lift it into the air. From there we will mount our attack."

"This girl," Snarled Kary, "She is the Princess of Kazham no?"

"That is correct, ma'am." Olose answered.

"Good. I have a serious issue to settle with her sister. I shall see to it that she suffers greatly." The party could hear that Kary was slithering out of the room.

"Wait!" Lich roared. "Do not kill her."

"Oh, I won't _kill _her." Kary remarked.

"Did you hear that?" Voldos quickly whispered.

"Nah, I wasn't paying attention." Bootus said sarcastically.

"They've kidnapped Vivli." Voldos growled.

"Bloody typical." Sighed Zinkata. "No originality some people."

"Come on." Bootus muttered. "Guess we had better go and save her again."

Vivli pulled her knees up to her chest as Kary approached her. She shook. Kary was holding five swords in her five remaining arms.

"Did you enjoy your trip?" The fiend asked.

"What do you want?" Vivli mumbled, shaking in fear. _Will this never end? _her brain asked, almost overloaded from so much fear.

"Did you know I once had six arms?" Kary asked. Vivli nodded sheepishly. "Your sister cut one off."

"Go Dedji." Vivli uttered under her breath.

"She isn't here for me to take out my vengeance on. You are." Kary unleashed flames, burning into Vivli's body. She screamed in pain. "Settle down, I won't kill you, but I will bring you as close as I can."

"HELP!" Vivli yelled in agony.

"Set her down!" Zinkata ordered. Kary spun around.

"Ah, the Light Warriors." She said as Vivli fell over with a thump. The beaten mithra quickly started casting a healing spell on herself. "Is this some ill conceived rescue plan?"

"Actually we wanted to know what you were up to." Voldos said with a smile. "But we found out, so it kinda turned into one."

"Bah! You're predecessors may have defeated me a million years ago, but this time, I shall be the victor!" Vivli ran to join the four, hugging Zinkata tightly as she wept. Kary advanced on the four heroes.

"Not today, Kary." Bootus smirked as he slammed shut the prison door. The keys had been left in from when Kary entered, so he locked it and the four ran. Kary blew apart the metal bars and shot after them.

"You will not escape me!" She boomed.

"Shall we kick her ass?" Bootus asked.

"Let's." Zinkata said, and the four stopped, turning. Vivli panted in tears.

"I want to go!" She wept, still severely shaken up.

"No. We're standing and we're fighting. It's about time we reminded the fiends how powerful we really are!" Zinkata snapped. It was the first time Vivli had noticed him so cold heartedly disregarding her emotions, but she knew he was right.

"Very well, let's see what you're made of!" Kary spat.

Voldos opened the battle blasting arrows at her. She cut them out of the air with her multiple swords. Zinkata ran in, and attacked. She blocked him with her five arms, but failed to disarm him as she had done all the others.

"Impressive." She admitted. Bootus thundered in, taking a hit and grabbing one of Kary's arms. He snapped it backwards, breaking her wrist. She dropped another sword. "Most impressive." She spat in pain. "But it is no match for this!" She blasted Bootus back with a powerful fireball. Vivli quickly got about healing the fallen galka. Voldos charged in and two fought Kary. It wasn't easy to get through her four armed defence in the narrow corridor, but she couldn't strike at them easily either. A fiery shield blew out, knocking the two back. Kary let flames engulf her, and her broken wrist healed. "See? You cannot defeat me." She stated. Voldos and Zinkata dived at her the second the flames faded, stabbing her in her chest.

"Looks like we're taking a decent stab at it." Zinkata smirked.

"That was a terrible pun." Voldos remarked.

"Shut up." Zinkata shot as Kary screamed in pain pulling back.

"Bah! This isn't over!" The bleeding fiend announced as she fled.

"Now can we go?" Requested the still deeply upset Vivli.

"What's wrong?" Zinkata asked. "You seem really shaken up."

"Kazham was burnt to the ground! They attacked and-" Zinkata cut her off.

"Kazham is fine. Kary lost there." Zinkata reassured her. Vivli, sniffed, and continued to cry.

"And that man. The werewolf. It's Olose." She wept. "He's turned evil! He almost threw me off the airship!"

"Olose?" Bootus exclaimed in disbelief.

"Lich has shown him the power of the werewolf curse, but doing so corrupted him." Vivli exclaimed through tears.  
"Look. It's alright." Zinkata put his arm around the little mithra. "You'll be fine. Let's just get out of here. I'm sure we can turn Olose back to our side." Vivli continued to cry.

"I'm sure." She managed to say. The four began to move quickly down the darkened corridor.

They emerged and headed for where the large airship was docked. They ran up onto the deck easily meeting with no resistance. Goblins were dead all around. Cid stood there with a smile.

"I'm not a useless old man, you know." He barked as they got onboard.

"Of course not." Zinkata muttered. "Let's get out of here!"

"This thing is huge." Whistled Voldos, sounding impressed.

"Quite different from the _Raven, _isn't she?" Cid admitted. "She's called _Goliath, _a fitting name I guess." The _Goliath _slowly rose into the sky, and cruised off across the air.

Vivli took this new break to drop down, defeated. She was exhausted, and her spirit had been completely shattered.

"Come here." Zinkata said. He still wasn't any good at being comforting, but knew between himself, Bootus and Voldos, he was the best one to try. Vivli wondered over to him. Zinkata held her in his arms, not in a romantic way, but almost the way you'd hold a child when he or she had scrapped a knee or cut an elbow. "Come on. What's wrong. You've been through bad stuff before."  
"But this time I was _so _scared." She confessed. "Everything scared me. I've never been put through something so stressful or scary, not on my own. He held me off an airship! I was dangling off the edge of an airship as he told me he had never felt anything for me and I was just a pathetic little girl." She started sobbing again. "He was-" She paused. "I lo-" She paused again. She didn't quite know how to express her feelings about him. "He betrayed us. He even told me how it was him, and not some new personality. But I _know_. I _know_ it's his own hatred taking over. I _know _Lich made him do this."

"Viv, I know what it's like to see someone that close to you betray you." Zinkata said firmly.

"Of course you do. Your father figure. I really must look like a little girl with a crush." She muttered.  
"No." Zinkata stated. "Of course you don't. It sounds like they put you through Hell. Sounds like they were trying to break you. To crush you. So you wouldn't be able to do anything."

"You don't understand how bad it was." Vivli tried desperately to explain. "Olose was not just scary, but creepy too. If I hadn't seen him with my own eyes, I'd never of known it was the same person! How can hatred change somebody that much? To such an extent he told me to kill him, not to try and get the old him back. He told me it was impossible."

"Come on. Since when have we believed the word of the bad guys? If he says its impossible, we'll find a way to do it. We'll bring Olose back to us." Zinkata was surprised by himself for being able to be this kind to Vivli.  
"Thank you." The tiny mithra said, trying to edge a smile, but failing. Suddenly, something rumbled.

Zinkata ran to the edge of the ship, looking out. Voldos and Bootus were already there. Vivli struggled weakly to her feet, feeling completely drained and so barely able to stand.

"You're going to want to see this, Li." Voldos cried in awe. Vivli stumbled over, and her eyes went wide.

The ground below had been torn up, and was floating in front of them.

"Tiamat." Vivli whispered in shock.

"Tiamat?" Zinkata repeated.

"Tiamat had a floating sky fortress back when the Light Warriors first fought the fiend." Vivli explained.

"I remember overhearing something like that." Bootus said.

"So, what you're saying is the wind crystal is on that island?" Voldos asked.

"Wow. You figured it out." Vivli sounded genuinely shocked.

"I think I should be insulted." Voldos muttered.

"Diddums." Bootus said in his most irritating tone of voice.

"What do you want to do?" Called Cid.

"Lich said they were going to use this island to mount their attack, right?" Bootus asked.

"Yeah, something like that." Zinkata said in response.  
"Then we strike!" The galka cried. "We attack!"

"What?" Vivli sounded hysterical. She was so frightened all she wanted to do was retreat to Windurst, and curl up in her room at the monastery to never emerge again.

"We'll never get another chance at this. That island there has just risen. It's unarmed. It's ripe for an attack!" Bootus explained.

"I never thought I'd say this, but I agree with Bootus." Voldos conceded.  
"Then let's do it!" Zinkata cried. "Sorry Viv, but you'll be able to pull through fine. You always do." Vivli felt a little better at this vote of confidence. "Put us down Cid! We're gonna stop this thing before it can begin!"

**Author's Note: Right, sorry to make _another _one of these, but I need a favour. Tiamat's gender: anybody know what it is? So far, I've managed to avoid the pronoun use when referring to Tiamat (I think), but now s/he's going to become more prominent, I need to get it right. I've heard him/her referred to as both, and I really don't know. So, if anybody does, it would be appreciated. Otherwise, I'll just make him male, because that was my assumption when I fought him on FF1.**

**Also, is everybody alright with understanding who's meant by 'Li'? The reason some people call her that is because that's what I get called on FFXI by the others. (My name's Leigh, pronounced the same as Li, hence the nickname 'Vivli'. Means they actually call me 'Li' not 'Viv', but that might not have been very clear). This is because I want to use 'Li' as its more of a reference to our FFXI games for a story based on those four characters, but want to make sure everybody feels its okay since 'Viv' is the better and more natural shortened version.**

**Anyway, thanks for reading this chapter, and I hope you guys can help me out!**


	21. XXI

**Author's Note: Big thanks to Thefrogkiller for finding out just what gender Tiamat is. Thanks too to Zinkata who managed to look up the original myth. I see the confusion now, apparently in the original myth Tiamat was a female dragon/goddess, but this isn't about the original Earth based myth, this is Final Fantasy and if Nintendo Power says he's male then he's male. Thanks anyway Zin! This way also creates a nice parallel: the three male and one female Light Warriors and the same for the fiends. They're almost like rival parties now. (Also, 10HP? Wow, must be easier than I remember. Unless Nintendo Power got that bit wrong. I've only played FF1 Origins, even if all the translation for the FF1 sections of this come from the original NES because it was easier to find screenshots of the original dialogue for that. Hence 'Kary' not 'Maralith').**

**Anyway, thanks a lot for the help you two! Lucky I was checking the site though because it seems the fan fiction bot has stopped e-mailing me reviews, I would never have noticed Thefrogkiller's point if I hadn't looked at the reviews on the site. (What? I like reading through them, makes me feel good about myself).**

**PART XXI**

The _Goliath _thundered down from the clouds slowly. It was so big even landing was a slow process. It hovered above the ground, and ropes were thrown over the side. It had landed in a specially constructed dock built by Lich's minions in San D'Oria, but otherwise it was designed to land on water only.

"I'll stay with the ship." Cid explained. "Somebody has to keep it steady."

"Just be ready to get us out of here!" Zinkata cried as he descended hanging from the rope. "If we succeed, this island is going to be crashing out the sky faster than you can imagine."

"I'll be ready." Cid reassured as the four heroes descended. Vivli struggled to hold on to the rope, and fell. Bootus was beneath her, grabbing her.

"You're really pathetic sometimes, you know that." He said to the little mithra.

"Hey!" Vivli protested. "We can't all have upper body strength!"

"I don't think you have _any_ strength." The galka muttered.

"Pack it in you two!" Zinkata ordered.

The four hit the ground and looked up at the _Goliath _hovering high above.

"I hope he doesn't go anywhere." Vivli said to herself.

"I want to know where _we _go." Voldos stated.

"Well, the crystal will be at the centre to levitate the island like this." Vivli explained. "At least if I've read the history books right."

"Hm. That would mean finding some kind of network of caves to get to the centre of the island." Zinkata had barely finished when Vivli, quite randomly it seemed, screamed.

"BLOODY CAVES!" She yelled. "I HATE CAVES!"

"Whoa, calm down!" Voldos quickly said. "No need to alert the island we're here."

"Why can't it be a nice, bright field. What is it with the dark caves?" She was overreacting for comic effect, she knew this, but her frustration was real. It actually helped take her mind off things though, and meant she didn't have to focus on the more recent traumatic events.

"Evil villains don't normally hang around in pretty flowery fields, Li." Voldos gave in answer.

"Well they should." Vivli said grumpily.

"There must be a way in somewhere." Voldos decided. "Let's go and find it."

"I think we may be in luck." Bootus said. "It looks like nobody's on this island yet. Obviously the fiend's haven't got their forces to it."

"Watch yourself." Zinkata told the galka. "Tiamat'll be here. He has to be. He's the one who rose the island."

"Great." Vivli stated. "Now I'm scared."

"You're always scared!" Bootus pointed out.

"That's hardly the point." Vivli said with her arms angrily folded.

"Oh yeah, Li, take this." Zinkata pulled out Vivli's silver staff. "Almost forgot to give it back."

"Thanks." Vivli smiled as she hooked it on her belt. "Thought I was missing something."

"Don't worry," Bootus laughed, "I'm sure she'll lose it before we're back on the ground." Vivli sighed.

"Sadly, I think that's true." She muttered.

The four wondered across the island for a moment before coming to a small hole in the ground.

"Leads underground." Bootus deduced. "Let's jump in."

"Whoa! Wait a minute!" Vivli cried. "We can't get out if we go down there! And it's dark. What if its full of spiders or something?"

"Anybody getting flashbacks of the elvaan chateau?" Bootus asked. "Hole. Vivli wouldn't go in it. Remember how I solved it?" Vivli turned to him. It had been back when they first fought Chaos, and they were sent to San D'Oria's ancient dungeons.

"You wouldn't." She stated.

"I would." Bootus smiled, giving Vivli a hard shove. She fell in with a scream. "Come on guys! Into the hole!" The three jumped in after Vivli, barely giving her enough time to scurry out the way of the falling heroes.

The cave was dingy, and it felt unstable. They were inside the hollow mid-section of a flying island. A fairly unusual situation.

"How are we going to get out?" Vivli asked quietly.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it!" Zinkata decided.

"We're trying to knock this island out of the sky." Vivli reminded him. "I'd like to have an escape plan for when we do."

"Planning ahead is for fools!" Bootus joked, running onwards.

"Come on." Voldos signalled, following.

"Oh, this is going to go wrong." Vivli groaned.

The four crept down the dark tunnel until they came to a huge space, in the centre of which the shining crystal sat.

"Wow. Pretty." Vivli remarked.

"Don't get too attached." Bootus said. "I'm going to smash it." The galka advanced. Vivli suddenly let out a small yelp before falling silent.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The party spun around. Olose had snuck up behind Vivli and grabbed her, covering her mouth and holding her tight. She couldn't move or speak.

"Dammit, Li." Voldos grumbled. "This is why you need to pay more attention."

"Olose. How could you do this?" Zinkata demanded.

"It's not the how you're interested in. It's the why. And I'm sure you know." Olose sneered.

"Olose, don't harm her." Volods warned.

"Or what?" Olose smirked. "I can do what I like." He laughed. "You know, mithra are a very curious race." He ran his hand up Vivli's tail. She squirmed. "They're a strong warrior race, but have one bizarre genetic defect that evolution seemed to have missed." He began to rub behind Vivli's ears, and she began to purr, sounding almost as if she was enjoying it. "Behind the ears is a cluster of extremely sensitive nerve endings. If you tickle these in the right way, they unleash endorphins into the blood. Huge amounts of them." The Light Warriors looked blank, except for Vivli, who was purring in pleasure. "It means their bodies become overcome with pleasure. Most mithra can fight it, as it results in their muscles being turned to jelly, and the larger and stronger the muscle is, the easier it is to resist. Weaker and smaller mithra, like Vivli, are completely helpless against it."

"What've you done to her?" Zinkata cried.

"I can only assume its supposed to be some bizarre sexual thing." Olose ignored Zinkata. "Either way, it's left her completely disabled. She doesn't even know it. Her body will just be pounding with a pleasant feeling, overloading her brain."

"Why are you doing that to her?" Bootus asked in confusion. "What's the point?"

"Not only is she lost now." Olose laughed. "But very susceptible to anything I might suggest." Vivli had indeed cuddled up to her captor, purring like a lazy animal. Olose grinned sinisterly. "But also, can you imagine what would happen if I crushed her ear? Just as those nerve endings were this active? It would snap her out of her trance. I found out about this over my six hundred year life, but nobody has ever known what would happen if you crushed a mithran ear _while _they were in a trance. I could be the first to find out." He smiled. "Shall I?"

"Don't!" Zinkata cried. "Alright! Alright! What do you want?" Olose smiled again.

Vivli couldn't hear any of this. It sounded like a dreamlike melody in the background. Her whole body had gone floppy, and she was lost in a void of pleasure. Her brain had begun by screaming at her to fight it, but as much as she had tried, she had failed. It was as if those messages of logic had never reached her physical body. Now she was content to just drift about, enjoying the feeling it gave her. She had given up on the world around her. Her brain wouldn't let her focus on it. She just snuggled up against whatever it was she was resting against, and let out purrs as the feeling washed over her. She was cut off from the world, and didn't care. Couldn't care. Her brain wouldn't let her.

The heroes lay their weapons on the floor.

"Now what?" Asked Zinkata.

"Back away from the Earth Crystal." Olose ordered. Vivli let out another purr. She was helplessly trying to process thoughts, but couldn't. "Do it!" Olose commanded. The party did so. He bent down to Vivli. "Do you want to kiss me?" He asked. Vivli did so without replying. He turned back and smiled. "Cute, isn't she?" The evil villain remarked. Zinkata took a step forwards in anger, but Olose warned him off.

Vivli didn't really sense the kiss. She knew she did something, but it felt incredibly pleasurable, so she didn't care. Then again, in the trance she was in, everything felt pleasurable. It was a strange existence, and she now just felt as if she was floating in a void. Vivli had been completely unaware that such a feeling was possible. She hadn't been raised by mithra after all. In truth, not even the mithra spoke of it, or mentioned it. It made them too vulnerable, and they preferred to pretend it didn't exist, except when certain husbands would inflict it on their wives and vice versa for the pleasure of their partner. Outside of the odd bedroom in Kazham, it was pretty much unheard of. This meant Vivli was completely lost to her own overpowering feelings, and was completely helpless to resist.

"What are you doing now, minion?" Spat the booming voice of one of Tiamat's heads as the multi-headed dragon marched in from another entrance to the huge room. "Put down that plaything."

"She is not a plaything." Growled Zinkata between the two.

"No. She's a Light Warrior." Olose answered with a very cocky tone considering he was speaking to one of his masters.

"And so are these, I sense." The second head of Tiamat said.

"I've waited far too long for this!" The third head announced.

"You idiots." The first head cried. "We can't destroy them. Chaos wants that honour."

"They're threatening the crystal." The second head said with a sneer. "We have to destroy them to protect them."

"Destroy those three." Olose announced. "Feel free. The girl is mine." Zinkata shuddered as he thought what Olose might do to Vivli with this newly discovered ability to disable her like this.

"You don't make demands." Tiamat reminded his minion.

"But you may do what you like with her." Another head interjected, much to the dissatisfaction of the first.

"That has to get really inconvenient after a while." Bootus observed, watching the arguing heads.

"You people have no idea what its like to be stuck in constant arguments." The third head sighed.

"Yes. I have no idea what that particular situation might be like." Zinkata mumbled sarcastically.

Voldos had phased out of the talk a while ago. He was now focused on the speech and actions of the two villains. They were suitably distracted. In one fast motion he drew his bow and fired, hitting Olose square in the head. As the werewolf went down, Vivli dropped to the floor, semi-unconscious. Olose had released her ears, so she was beginning to wake up even before she hit the ground. Zinkata reacted instantly, diving into a front roll and grabbing his weapon. Bootus charged Tiamat and attacked. A shocking reminder to the villains that despite the sarcastic talk and bickering, the party were experienced heroes.

Vivli began to come to her senses, suddenly realising the horror of where she was and what had just happened. She felt an awful sickness as she realised she had been wallowing in pleasure as the others fought. She had to physically battle to stop herself from crying at the thought of how vulnerable she was. She turned around to see a gigantic black form rising behind her. Olose had turned into his werewolf form.

Tiamat unleashed a huge powerful wind, and blew back the galka that was pounding him. Voldos skilfully rolled aside as Bootus crashed down near him, and unleashed arrows that slammed into Tiamat's armoured form. Zinkata ran in with a sword.

"HELP!" Vivli bellowed. Bootus turned around to see the gigantic form of Olose.

"Now I know how Vivli feels." Bootus remarked, noticing the height difference between himself and the werewolf. Olose lunged at him. Bootus swung to the side, hitting the werewolf. Olose countered by jumping past the galka, and grabbing him by the tail, hurling him across the room. Bootus landed with a thud, his tail aching. "I _definitely _know what Vivli feels like."

The three of Tiamat's heads snapped at Zinkata. The brave warrior dodged the blows before getting grabbed by one of the dragons claws. He found himself lifted up in the air, and cursed as he felt the claw crushing him. Arrows flew in, hitting the claw and allowing Zinkata to drop.

"Damn, you're getting pretty good with that thing." Zinkata remarked to Voldos.

Olose was satisfied he had taken care of the galka, and turned back to Vivli. She went for her staff, but Olose pounded her before she could get it. She found herself pinned down.

"You know," Olose began to ponder. "Since mithra are cats, and werewolves are dogs, I wonder what would happen if I bit you." Vivli quivered in fear. "Oh, don't worry. You won't feel a thing." He said, reaching for her ears. She squirmed, watching as he opened his jaw to bite her. She began to feel that same pleasure rush again as he rubbed her ears. He could only pin her down with one arm while doing this, though. She knew she had to act fast. Before that feeling took over, she grabbed her staff and rammed it into the werewolf's mouth as hard as she could.

Olose sprang back emitting a loud howl as smoke burst from his mouth. He thrashed around, screaming as the staff literally melted through his jaw. Vivli turned away, feeling sick as she regained full control of her own emotions. Olose screamed, running and smashing into the wind crystal. It blew apart against the ground.

"YOU FOOL!" Tiamat bellowed as the entire island began to shake. Olose collapsed, reverting back to his human form.

"Let's get out of here!" Cried Zinkata.

"Olose!" Vivli screamed, running to his side.

"No time! We have to move!" Bootus dragged Vivli away as the tunnel began to collapse. They ran down the tunnel hearing Tiamat roaring behind them. The cave began to collapse all around them. Conveniently, this meant the roof caving in and giving them an easy passage out onto the land above.

"Where's the airship?" Vivli screamed hysterically.

"Damn you Cid!" Cried Zinkata. The four looked around frantically as the ground beneath them began to break away. The _Goliath _roared up behind them.

"Look!" Voldos yelled, pointing to the giant airship.

"Glad you pointed that one out." Despite the urgency, Bootus had time for a sarcastic comment. "Now let's get out of here."

"How?" Vivli cried. "The airships out there!"

"We jump." Zinkata decided.

"Jump? Are you mad?" Vivli screamed.

"You're the mithra. Aren't you supposed to be agile?" Bootus asked.

"But it's a long way down." Vivli moaned.

"You aren't scared of heights to, are you?" Bootus laughed.

"I think its perfectly fair to be scared of heights right now!" Voldos yelled. "Now let's do it!"

The four bolted for the edge and leapt, landing on the deck of the _Goliath. _Cid had seen what they were going to do, and had lowered the airship so that they could jump and just fall onto the deck.

"Ow." Vivli moaned, holding her ankle.

"Look!" Voldos cried in awe. The island broke apart and plummeted towards the ground below.

"Scratch one up for the forces of good!" Bootus cheered.

"That's gonna give Lich a headache." Zinkata laughed. He looked down. "Hopefully literally." Vivli walked to the edge of the island sadly. She looked down.

"Olose…" Was all she managed to say.

**(Another) Author's Note: When I started writing this I couldn't quite figure out where I got the 'scratch behind the ears' idea from. Then I figured it out. It comes from Forever Dreaming by Thefrogkiller. Just wanna credit him so people didn't think I was stealing an idea of his.**


	22. XXII

**Author's Note: Due to another pointer about the breaks in paragraphs (which I admit is fair criticism, I don't want to give the impression I'm offended, I'm not), I've decided to make the offer here. I like ending/starting paragraphs with dialogue, I think it works effectively. When it shows up. It doesn't on So here's my offer. My e-mail is available in my profile, so, if you want to read the story with proper paragraph breaks, e-mail me and ask, and I'll send it to you in its text file format where it looks like its supposed to. Should hopefully make reading easier for you guys, because I really appreciate all the feedback I'm getting and all the people who are enjoying it.**

**PART XXII**

The _Goliath _was thundering through the air slowly. Vivli looked down at the rubble of the island below, smashed to pieces just outside of San D'Oria. She decided that had been a close one. Bootus walked up behind her. Her ears nervously twitched, something the galka had never seen happen before. Just before Bootus could speak, she pulled up the hood on the back of her robe and turned to face him. Bootus stopped, and decided to say something else.

"Are you afraid I'm going to touch your ears?" He asked, having observed her strange behaviour.

"Maybe." Vivli answered, nervously, looking to the floor.

"Well don't be." Bootus grumbled. "I have no desire to send you into orgasmic pleasure."

"It's not orgasmic!" Vivli cried very loudly, which got extraordinarily strange glances from Zinkata, Voldos and Cid. "It's not!" She cried again as Bootus broke down into giggles.

"If you say so." Bootus smirked. "Looked like it to me."

"You're a galka. It's beyond your understanding." She taunted. "Then again, most stuff is beyond a galka."

"_Hey!_" Bootus cried with mock offence. "There's no need to be racist about it!" Vivli sighed.

"Sorry." She took Bootus a little too seriously. "I just feel really…" She trailed off, looking for the right word. "Strange. Really vulnerable. Like people know this little thing that's my biggest weakness."

"Li, you have many weaknesses. I don't care about any of them." Bootus was actually being comforting in his own way, although Vivli just took it as an insult. She turned and looked back down at the rubble below. Bootus could tell she was thinking about Olose. Bootus was always a curious person, he was horrible at being supportive and kind, but had his own special way of going about things. "So come on, I'm sure there'll be plenty of other guys to exploit that weakness for you." He said sarcastically. She turned around, looking fairly angry. Bootus smiled to himself. She was suitably distracted from any depressive thoughts she might be having.

"No!" She cried. "_Nobody _is going to find out about this. Clear?"

"Well, I dunno. I might tell some people." Bootus laughed. "Might put it up on a message board in the tavern back in Bastok."

"BOOTUS!" Vivli yelled like an angry child. "Don't you dare!"

"Would you two stop bickering and get over here?" Zinkata called. The two wondered over to join the others party.

Zinkata had been trying to look at a map, but the wind on the airship had just blown it away.

"Perhaps we should discuss this below decks." He pondered.

"Discuss what?" Bootus asked.

"What we do next, you moron." Zinkata sighed.

"An attack is futile." Voldos explained. "San D'Oria is unbreachable."

"Don't be so sure Sparky." Vivli said with a smile. Voldos rose an eyebrow. That was a nickname long forgotten. "I bet Windurst could blow down those walls with their magic. And if they couldn't the mithran mercenaries could scale it easily."

"Yeah, and the taru white mages could devastate Lich's forces." Zinkata agreed.

"So, to Windurst then?" Vivli smiled.

"No." Bootus folded his arms. "It isn't safe enough. If we're launching a full frontal attack, we need everything we can get. We go to Bastok."

"Okay fine." Sighed Zinkata. "Windurst hasn't been attacked yet, so they might not be aware of how serious it is. Vivli and Voldos can go there. Voldos as a representative of San D'Oria, and Vivli as one of their own. We'll head to Bastok and get the army from there." Zinkata stopped for a smile. "We, my friends, are going to attack San D'Oria."

The _Goliath _soared across the sea, having dropped off Bootus and Zinkata in Bastok. Voldos was lazily slouched in the cargo hold.

"Smarten yourself up." Vivli advised. "You're representing your entire nation."

"You know, technically I'm a Bastoker." Voldos pointed out.

"Yeah, but they don't know that." Vivli smiled. "So look smart."

"You're one to talk!" Voldos remarked. "In that scruffy robe."

"I am not scruffy!" Vivli cried, typically overreacting. "It's just got a little dirty, considering what we've been doing."

"Ya look scruffy to me." Voldos laughed. Vivli angrily marched over and started digging through the crates in the _Goliath's _hold.

"Fine. There must be mage robes in here somewhere." Vivli said, shuffling between armour. Voldos chuckled to himself. He was beginning to understand why Bootus enjoyed winding her up so much. She finally pulled out some dark blue ones, covered with a gold pattern. "Ha! Told you!" She looked at them. "Their a little dusty, but they'll do." She waited for a moment. "Well, I'm going to get changed. I'd rather you didn't watch."

"Aw, damn." Voldos sighed, getting up and wondering out. Vivli froze.

"And just what does that mean?" She pondered.

Meanwhile Zinkata and Bootus strolled through the streets of Bastok.

"It sure feels good to be home." Bootus sighed.

"We aren't home for long." Zinkata reminded him. "We have to find someone to get the Bastokian army behind us."

"Zinkata! Bootus!" A voice called.  
"Andrew!" Zinkata cried in surprise.

"That's _General _Andrew." Andrew smiled.

"General?" Bootus explained, surprised.

"Yeah, apparently they needed some leaders, and I fitted the bill, considering my experience with the rebels." Andrew paused. "What's better is I get to lay it all down as soon as the fiends have been defeated and go back to adventuring."

"Well, it could be over soon." Zinkata explained.

"Yeah, but we need your help." Bootus pointed out.

"What can I do?" Andrew asked casually.

"We're planning to attack San D'Oria." Zinkata stated. "By combining forces with Windurst's mages. Right now, the fiends are at their weakest. It's our one opportunity to end this once and for all."

"If Windurst agree, I shouldn't have much trouble persuading the President." Andrew smiled. "If Bastok goes down in history as the nation that saved San D'Oria…" He paused. "Well, let's just say the President won't let our elvaans neighbours forget very soon."

"Andrew!" Came the voice of Celphie as she ran up to him.

"Ahem." Andrew said proudly.

"I mean, General Andrew, sir." She growled with sarcastic anger.

"That's better." Andrew laughed.

"I never thought I'd have to call my little brother 'sir'." Celphie sighed.

"Get used to it, sis." Andrew smiled. The two were obviously joking with each other, but Zinkata got the impression Andrew was enjoying himself.

"That's _Captain_." She shot back. If she couldn't be called 'sir', she'd make sure she was called by her rank.

"Very well, _Captain _Sis." Andrew mocked.

"They remind me of you and Vivli." Zinkata remarked to Bootus.

"Whataru?" Exclaimed the tiny tarutaru to Vivli and Voldos angrily. The two were stood in a large conference room in Windurst, talking to two tarutaru leaders.

"We need to attack San D'Oria." Vivli stated again, nervously. Voldos noticed her ears were twitching; a new habit she seemed to have picked up whenever she was nervous.

"That makes very little sensey-wence." The second said. "San D'Oria is very well defended and-"

"And it's going to attack if we don't do something." Voldos finished off, having no respect for the bickering tarutarus. "Lich has an army of undead fiends, however weakened from Bastok's victory, and the three other fiends have been resurrected. They will have a rebuilt army _unless _we act now." Voldos paused. "Of course, if Windurst isn't up to it, I'll understand. Can be pretty scary for little guys like you."

"WHATARU?" Screamed one of the tarutaru. "Why! I should blast you into nothingness right now!"

"Calm down!" Cried Vivli quickly. "Look, take my word for it. I have the blessing of the Star Sybil herself you know?"

"We know." The two tarutaru grumbled together.

"And I don't know why she'd give it to a pathetic feline like you!" The first snapped. "It's us tarus who should be getting the glory around here!"

"You're leaders are worse than Bastok's." Voldos whispered to Vivli.

"Look, are you going to help us?" Vivli asked. "Or do I have to go to the Star Sybil?" The two tarutaru quickly began to talk among themselves. They turned back.

"And howey-wowey do you suggest we get to Bastok?" One asked.

"Airship." Voldos answered. "We can easily call them in from Jeuno." The two taru pondered this.

"It is our only option." One stated.

"Now you two wait until the airships arrive." The second instructed. "Go roll in the mud, or whatever it is you felines do."

"I'm an elvaan." Voldos pointed out.

"That's lovely. We don't care." The second tarutaru said as he turned away to leave. Vivli and Voldos were left with blank expressions on their faces.

Back in Bastok, Zinkata and Bootus waited outside the President's office. After some time, Andrew emerged, smiling.

"He agreed the best course of action was to mobilise our troops." Andrew explained. "Now to wait for Windurst to pull through."

"We would contact the others on the linkshells, but we had to throw them away." Zinkata explained.

"Yeah, Lich was using them to spy on us." Bootus grumbled. "I hope some of my good humour rubbed off on him."

"I hope some of our good _nature _rubbed off on him." Zinkata added.

"Isn't Lich an evil fiend designed to bring about the end of the world?" Andrew asked.

"Well, yes." Zinkata admitted. "So the good nature thing isn't too likely."

In Windurst, Vivli and Voldos were sat around eating, waiting for the airships from Jeuno to arrive. The word had been sent via linkshell, so it was only a matter of time before the remaining nations united once again to battle evil. At the time, the two were more focused on their food. Vivli was happily eating away at a fish, and Voldos was eating a slaughtered ram.

"Isn't that a little hypercritical of you?" Voldos asked.  
"What?" Vivli retorted with a question, looking up from her food.

"Eating fish, although your scared of the water." Voldos explained.

"Hey! Just because I can't swim doesn't mean I can't eat fish!" She protested. "I love fish!"

"Typical feline." Sighed Voldos.

"Hey! There's nothing wrong with liking fish!" She cried.

"No. Of course not. Just such a stereotypical thing for a mithra, that's all." Voldos laughed.

"That's because we've evolved as fishers. Of course we like fish!" She moaned, taking too much offence like Voldos knew she would. She, in the process, gave him an opening for another gag.

"You evolved from fishers? So how come you can't a fish to save your life?" Voldos asked beaming a smile.

"I dunno. How come you can't pull a girl to save your life?" Vivli shot back. Voldos's smile vanished. He hadn't been expecting that.

Andrew presented his troop to the two adventurers.  
"What do you think?" He asked.

"Impressive." Zinkata remarked. "They'll sure give Lich a run for his gil." They were dressed in the identical matching armour of the Mythril Musketeers, now extended to Andrew's entire regiment. Celphie stood at the front of the troop. They all looked like very experienced and very powerful warriors.

"The President has also told me that Windurst has just began dispatching its forces. The message just came in over linkshell." Andrew explained.

"Excellent." Bootus smiled. "We'll be back to peace in no time. And I can get back to mocking Vivli."

Vivli was feeling particularly vulnerable to being mocked at that point. She was bundled in the hold of the _Goliath, _surrounded by the mithran mercenaries of Windurst. They were all much taller than she was, and dressed in heavy armour that she wouldn't even be able to lift. The one she was looking over turned down to face her.

"What arrrrre you looking at, rrrrrrrrunt?" She snarled. Vivli shrunk away.

"Nothing." She said nervously, her ears twitching.

"What's a little girrrrrl like you doing on a mission like this anyway?" The mithra asked.

"I'm not a little girl!" Vivli protested. "And I'll have you know I fought in the last war." She said with a smug smile. "I fought Chaos."  
"Don't lie, girrrrrrl." The mithra snarled, pushing Vivli on the floor.

"I'm not lieing!" She cried, getting back up. Voldos came over and pulled Vivli away.

"Sheesh, what is it with the people of Windurst?" He asked. "Their worse than us elves by a long way."

"Only the higher up ones are." Vivli admitted. "Everybody else is really nice. They get a bit arrogant near the top."

"Just sit down and stay out of trouble, would you?" Voldos requested.

Zinkata and Bootus had been requested to see Cid just after the _Goliath _had landed in another part of the city.

"I'm glad you could make it." Cid stated. Vivli and Voldos emerged to join them.

"Hey guys." Vivli said happily.

"How's it going?" Bootus asked. "I'm impressed. You actually got that loser nation of yours into shape." The galka remarked. Vivli scowled at him.

"My latest work needs to be finished." Cid explained. "But I wanted to warn you to watch out for it on the battlefield. I hope to have it finished as soon as possible." Cid pointed across the Metalworks to the form of what looked like the _Raven._

"You rebuilt her?" Zinkata exclaimed surprised. "How?"

"No. Not rebuilt." Laughed Cid. "This was too be the _Raven's _sister ship. Of course, it was never finished. I plan to touch it up now. The _Raven II _as it'll be called."

"Let's hope it meets a better fate than its sister." Voldos remarked.

"Speaking of sisters." Cried Andrew from the door. He had just run in. "Viv, you might want to see this." Vivli ran out, followed by the others.

Dedji stood outside, with a small army of mithra.

"You weren't going to let me miss out on my revenge, were you, Sis?" She asked. Vivli beamed a smile.


	23. XXIII

**Author's Note: In my continuing effort to fix the scene change problem, I'm now gonna stick little lines between paragraphs. Here's hoping they show up.**

**PART XXIII**

"How did you find out about this?" Vivli asked Dedji, still a little surprised.

"It's not harrrrrrrrrd to notice when a large scale warrrrrrrr is being planned, you know?" Dedji remarked. "And we werrrrren't going to miss out on it."

"Well," Andrew remarked, "We need all the help we can get."

"Yeah, we're storming San D'Oria." Voldos remarked proudly. "Nobody has ever managed to successfully attack San D'Oria." Even if they were attacking it, Voldos would remain proud of his home.

"Then how did Lich take over it in the firrrrrrrrrst place?" Dedji asked. Voldos fell deadly silent and the others let out a small laugh.

"Because somebody suggested we leave!" Boomed an elvaan voice. The assembled group spun around to face the elvaan King. "And I've had just about enough of seeing my kingdom run by a fleshless fiend."

"Yeah, if you're gonna dominate a culture, you should at least have skin." Remarked Bootus sarcastically.

"San D'Oria may have fallen, but the elvaan army is still strong, and nobody knows our city better than we do. We'll help as well." As the King spoke Vivli looked out on the sea of elvaan who had just arrived. She paused, pondering just how they had gotten into Bastok without her noticing.

The leaders of each party had gone to plan their own battle strategies, leaving the Light Warriors gathered by the fountain of Bastok.

"I remember coming here, after we met everybody out in the desert." Bootus remarked.

"First time we spent together." Zinkata laughed.

"Yeah, I was really nervous. Thought Bootus was going to throw me in a river or something." Vivli laughed.

"I'd never do something like that!" Bootus cried. The four laughed at the inside joke, baffling onlookers.

"Back then, we were just another four adventurers in a world of thousands." Voldos smiled, sounding unusually wise.

"Is that another thing you got from that book on how to pick up chicks?" Bootus asked sceptically.

"He's got a point." Vivli remarked.

"Look out, it's working." Bootus joked. Vivli hit him in the arm. She was aiming for his head, but couldn't reach.

"I mean, just how far we've come." Vivli explained. "We're about to go into battle to decide the fate of the world for the second time. I can't believe only a few months ago I'd never even heard of any of you."

"Yeah, my life would be unusually empty without you to mock, I have to admit." Bootus remarked.

"Well, no time to be all reflective. We've got a war to win." Zinkata reminded them.

"When are we marching out?" Voldos asked.

"Hey! Vivli!" Somebody cried before he could finish. A guard ran over. "I have a message. The President is holding a meeting with all the rulers and royalty of the factions willing to fight in the war."

"So?" Vivli asked.

"Well, urm, you're a princess, Princess." The guard remarked.

"Oh yeah." Vivli whistled as she remembered.

"You forgot?" Voldos cried sceptically.

"It's not what I'm used to!" Vivli snapped back.

"Well, run along, Princess. Your kingdom needs you." Bootus mocked.

"Shut up!" Vivli yelled, getting up. The guard looked very confused.

"Don't even try to understand." Zinkata advised.

Vivli walked into a conference room in Bastok, full of the most important figures in Vana'diel. The San D'Orian King and Princes, the Bastokian President, and his generals (which included Andrew), Windurst's tarutaru advisors and the head of the mithran mercenaries (who was, unfortunately, the same mithra that had pushed Vivli around on the _Goliath_) and Arcane, Cruth, Kazham's Chieftainess and Dedji.

"Ah, welcome Princess." The elvaan King said warmly. "Please. Take a seat." Vivli nervously sat down, her ears twitching.

"I must have missed something, here." The Bastokian President remarked. "She's a princess?"

"Long storrrrry." Remarked the Chieftainess.

"Alright." The King began. "This is what I propose. San D'Oria's walls are nigh unbreachable by conventional means. However, I feel a concentrated black magic attack on the outer walls at this point-" He pointed to a part on the outspread map of San D'Oria on the conference table. "-could break down the walls and lead us inside. However, we face a problem. This will be a narrow passageway that it will be difficult to get our troops through without heavy losses. For this reason, I feel the main confrontation should take place _outside _the city walls, so that we may effectively weaken their forces before we break through." He paused to make sure everybody was taking his information in. Only Vivli looked a little blank. "However, we cannot risk our own mages becoming equally weakened, and so the concentrated attack must come before the battle outside the city."

"And how do you prrrrrrrrropose we effectively beat the trrrrrrrroops in the battle outside?" The mithran captain asked.

"For that, I turn over to our resident white magic expert. Princess Vivli?" Vivli looked at the King blankly, completely unprepared. Especially unprepared to be called by her title.

"Urm." She mumbled. "I wasn't really expecting to be asked anything."

"Useless. Should have known." The mithran mercenary remarked.

"Show proper respect!" Snapped one of the Princes in her defence.

"_But_ I can help." Vivli began venomously, giving the other mithra an angry glance. "The white mages will need to be assigned at least one warrior each. We have no bladed weapons and aren't that greater warriors."

"Not everybody is as weak as you." Spat the mercenary.

"You will have to leave if you keep this up!" Prince Trion snapped angrily. Vivli felt quite happy to have an elvaan prince coming to her defence.

"We'll be distracted casting anyway." Vivli gave in defence also, feeling a little embarrassed at being singled out. "But if we wait until the forces are pouring out onto the field, we should be able to get off one precise blast of white magic to destroy whatever forces Lich has. The rest will belong to the other fiends."

"And the white magic blasts wont hurt them?" Inquired the President.

"No." Vivli stated. "It'll heal them like it heals anybody else."

"So the logical thing to do is attack with the white magic first, and then follow that up with barrages of black magic?" The King said to check. Vivli nodded.

"We can handle thataru." One of the tarutarus stated.

"Excellent." The President said proudly. "The rest of us will have to rely on melee to protect the mages."

"You're overlooking an important fact." Prince Trion pointed out. "Even once we're inside the walls, the interior of San D'Oria was designed to repel attack."

"No wonder I always get lost there." Vivli grumbled.

"You'll have to stay close to the elvaans to manage it well. It was specifically designed to confuse enemies and lead them down the wrong path." The Prince explained.

"Understood." Nodded the President. "We have multiple adventurers who also are willing to help, and many more who simply have to." The President stood. "We _are _going to win this war. Now let's get ready to move out."

The three Light Warriors stood among the gathered ranks of troops and adventurers. Vivli quickly ran to them, and hid behind Bootus, panting.

"What are you doing?" Bootus asked curiously.

"They were trying to make me stay with the 'important people'." She deepened her voice for the quote, mocking the President. "I didn't want to leave you guys."

"Might have been smart, Viv." Zinkata said. "You're not the greatest warrior of all time."

"Not with a sword." She remarked. "But I'm pretty good with magic. We need good magic casters."

"Okay!" Andrew cried from the front of the crowd. "Attention!" The assembled warriors all snapped to attention. "Move out!" They began to march out of the city and across the desert, approaching San D'Oria.

Vivli was exhausted by the time the forests outside San D'Oria fell into their sight. They had been marching non-stop for a long time, and her feet were killing her.

"Aw, why do you elvaans live so far away?" She moaned to Voldos.

"We're marching to war." Voldos reminded her. "Maybe you should stop moaning about how tired you are?"

"But my feet hurt." She groaned. Bootus sighed, and picked her up. "Hey! Put me down!" She cried.

"You were complaining." Bootus laughed as she feebly struggled, trying to get out of the galka's arms.

"I hate being small." She moaned.

"Stop complaining and enjoy your free ride." Bootus stated.

"HALT!" Came a sudden cry from the front. "INTO POSITION NOW! AMBUSH!" Bootus dropped Vivli, who landed painfully. The assembled troops quickly looked around to see skeletons, water monsters and flying beasts attacking from all directions.

"Must have been some mass invisible spell!" Somebody cried.

"They knew we were coming!" Another shouted.

"FALL INTO POSITION!" Andrew screamed above the chaos. "MAGES! GET TO THE BACK!" Vivli turned around.

"Urm, good luck guys." She said as she ran off towards the rear ranks.

"You too!" Zinkata yelled, drawing his sword.

The monsters they were fighting were unfamiliar. Creations of the fiends, monsters that no warrior had seen for over a million years. Of course, Lich's skeletons several had seen before, and they still weren't dieing. Vivli made the rear of the lines, panting. She looked around to try and figure out what was going on. The mages were panicked, trying to avoid harm. Many were casting what spells they could. A few had run into the fray to help the warriors who needed them.

"White mages!" Vivli screamed. "You're with me!" The immediate mages ran to gather with Vivli. "I said, White mages, you're with me!" She cried again. Her voice was far too quiet to get the attention of everybody.

"Allow me." A hume bard said who had heard her.

Even Zinkata heard the cry from the bard to assemble the mages. He shook his head and cut down another beast. Fireballs of various kinds rained down from the sky as the airborne creatures unleashed their attacks. Summoners began to summon what creatures they could to assist the battle. It was a mess. They had become completely cut off and separated, ending up very confused and disorientated. They hadn't expected an ambush.

"Well, this is going brilliantly." Bootus remarked as he pounded a skeleton into the ground. It reassembled as soon as he turned away.

"You will be exterminated!" Bellowed the skeleton.

"That's lovely." The galka remarked. Zinkata ran over to his side.

"I hope Vivli's about to cast that spell or this could be the shortest war of all time!" He cried.

"Now just feel each others spell!" Vivli commanded as all the mages gathered around her continued to cast. "Aaaaaaaaand go!" A white light rocketed across the battlefield, tearing apart every skeleton that had gotten in the way. Many beasts and warriors who had been cut down rose from the dead, but every last one of Lich's skeletons was gone. Several white mages collapsed from the energy of the spell, Vivli was among them. Somebody caught her.

"Long time no see." Remarked a female voice she recognised.

Blasts from the air were tearing apart the ranks, even if they could defeat the beasts they were fighting.

"We don't stand a chance unless we can take those flying creatures out!" Bootus roared.

"The black mages!" Zinkata suggested.

"They're distracted casting a spell to break through the city walls!" Voldos reminded them.  
"The white mages?" Zinkata asked. "Maybe a combined banish spell or something-"

"Guys!" Vivli cried, running over to join them. "I have an idea!"

"It had better be to take care of those monsters!" Zinkata yelled, pointing up at the sky.

"It is." Vivli smiled. "Look who I ran into." She pointed to a taller mithra stood next to her, with an eye patch over one eye.

"Angel?" Exclaimed Zinkata. "Long time no see."

"Decided to join us in this little skirmish then?" Voldos asked.

"Wasn't really by choice. I was in Seblina when you marched past." She paused. "Luckily curiosity didn't kill the cat. At least, not yet."

"What's your plan, Li?" Bootus was always sceptical of Vivli's plans, but they were on a battlefield, so small talk wasn't a priority.

"Well, we get Angel to do what she did last time." Vivli smiled, removing from her neck a necklace with a large red ruby on.

"How come I've never noticed you wearing that before?" Zinkata asked.

"I wear it _under _my robe." Vivli pointed out.

"Besides, she's a girly girl wearing a necklace. Not that out of place." Bootus pointed out.

"DAMMIT! I AM NOT AGI-" Vivli got cut off.

"Would you people _please _shut up?" Angel asked. "Now, you want me to try and summon Bahamut, right?" Vivli nodded sheepishly, feeling a little embarrassed for being told to shut up. They had used Angel to summon the King of the Dragons before when they had needed his guidance.

"Yeah." Vivli tossed Angel the ruby. She then seemed to accidentally kick Bootus in the shins. Nobody seemed to notice.

Andrew and Celphie were battling back to back against the attacking monster hoards. A fireball rained down from above, blasting Celphie to the ground.

"SIS!" Screamed Andrew, running to her side. An orc was about to finish her off, but somebody else pounced it, taking it out. Andrew ran to Celphie's side, and she got up.

"Thanks." She said to the stranger.

"Don't thank me." Came the response. "I deserve nothing but death."

"What?" Andrew asked.

"I've done some things that can never be forgiven." The figure turned to face them. His face was burnt badly. His black hair was messing and ran plastered down the black armour he was still wearing. The burn marks could be healed with a white magic spell, so clearly he hadn't seen a mage.

"Olose?" Andrew exclaimed as he recognised him. Before the two could spark up a conversation, there was a crash in the air and a gigantic fiery portal opened. A huge dragon burst out.

"What do you wish of me, Light Warriors?" Boomed Bahamut, King of the Dragons, hovering in the air.

"What do ya think?" Bootus shouted up from the ground. "Kill these blasted monsters!"

"I am not your servant!" Bahamut roared.

"Sorry!" Vivli yelled up. "We wish your assistance. Before we only needed guidance, now we need you skill. You must destroy the attacking monsters or we are doomed to fail."

"Very well, Warriors of the Light." Bahamut turned away.

"This could be going better." Kary remarked as she watched the dragon charge up a powerful attack.

"It just brings us closer to our goal." Lich reminded her.

"At least it confirms the Light Warriors are out there." Kraken said firmly. The dragon unleashed a bright beam of light into the sky, blowing apart most of the flying creatures. "They will be here any moment. And when they come, they will finally achieve their destiny."

"This is going to hurt, isn't it?" Tiamat's second head remarked, considering what their plan entailed.

A meteor tore down from the sky and blew apart the outer wall to San D'Oria. Andrew smiled.

"They pulled it off." He said, turning back to Olose and Celphie. Olose had vanished. "Huh?"

"Forget that." Celphie said, cocking her head. "Most of the creatures are out here. This is our chance!"

"Oh, right." Andrew mumbled. "CHARGE!"

"I will give you my soul if you let me keep this ruby." Angel joked as she watched Bahamut in awe.

"Yeah, but what would I do with it?" Bootus said with a shrug. Vivli snatched it back off Angel.  
"You can't have it. I like it. It's pretty." Bootus went to speak. "Urr, pretty neat. I meant pretty neat." She quickly said so he couldn't make any more 'girly' comments.

"Look out!" Angel cried, jumping back as a monster swung its sword down near them.

"CHARGE!" They heard Andrew below. The group looked at each other and shrugged.

"Guess we might as well." Zinkata joked.

"CHARGE!" The group yelled, running at the open hole into the depths of San D'Oria.

**Author's Note: Angel, as well as Andrew and Celphie, belong to Thefrogkiller. Didn't mention it before because I wanted to keep Angel's reappearance a surprise. I've bugged you enough to go read Thefrogkiller's work, so I guess I don't have to tell you to again.**


	24. XXIV

**PART XXIV**

"Why can't you elvaan build a normal city?" Vivli asked as the five heroes ran down another one of San D'Oria's back alleys.

"I was under the impression Voldos was born here." Angel said.

"It's Voldos." Zinkata gave in explanation. Angel was puzzled for a moment, then, catching Voldos's clueless expression, nodded in understanding.

"Hey!" Voldos cried. "I know my way. I'm just taking you sight seeing, that's all."

"Sight seeing?" Angel repeated.

"Yes." Voldos said confidently.

"In the middle of a war?" Vivli asked, coming to Angel's side.

"Yes." Voldos said again. The two mithra shook their heads.

"You will be exterminated!" Came a skeletal cry as two of Lich's warriors ran at them.

"Dammit, Vivli! I thought you had taken these all out!" Bootus yelled.

"Only the ones on the battle field!" Vivli explained as they got closer. "Keep them away from me while I cast something!" Her order came. The others shrugged and decided to obey. Bootus ran at one, followed by Angel, who had drawn a rapier. Zinkata and Voldos closed in on the other.

Bootus flung a powerful punch, knocking off the head of the skeleton. It continued to attack regardless, hitting the galka back.

"Ow!" Moaned Bootus. Angel stabbed it in one of its ribs, grabbing its attention. It attacked her, and she dove under it, and then jumped over it. The skeleton kept trying to hit her, but she was too fast. "Viv!" Bootus yelled to the white mage. "Why can't you move like that?" She didn't reply, too busy concentrating on her spell.

"I guess somebody never learnt the best uses of being a mithra." Angel smiled, still dodging the blows. Bootus walked up, and pounded the skeleton so hard it fell apart.

"Looks like you don't know the advantage of being a galka." Bootus taunted, flexing his muscles to show his strength. The skeleton reformed, attacking Bootus.

"Neither do you, by the looks of it." Angel remarked as Bootus fell back, grappling with the skeleton.

"Does Bootus naturally fight with all mithra or something?" Zinkata pondered, dodging blows.

"I think he's just awkward around the opposite sex." Voldos suggested. "He should try learning from me." He stopped for a pose, which was unfortunate because the skeleton dived at him, knocking him over.

"Maybe its because his race doesn't _have _any other sex." Zinkata tried, hitting the skeleton off Voldos. A bright white light tore through it and it stopped moving. Vivli smiled, and began to recast.

"But he's not actually male is he? Or female? He's some kind of strange thing in the middle." Voldos casually said as they ran over to join in the other battle.

"Bloody galka are confusing." Moaned Zinkata.

"No. Everybody else is confusing!" Bootus protested. "I mean, we galka keep it simple." He casually shrugged. "No complicated two genders, awkward mating rituals, anything like that."

"You miss out on so much." Voldos sighed.

"Do you guys always have casual conversations while fighting?" Angel asked.

"Of course." Voldos said, trying to look cool. He got stabbed in the leg by the attacking skeleton, which ruined it. "Ow!" He cried.

"Oh, just grab it!" Bootus sighed. The four adventurers each grabbed a limb, leaving the skeleton struggling wildly.

"You will be exterminated!" It cried helplessly.

"Yeah, good luck with that, pal." Bootus said happily as Vivli tore it apart with her magic.

"Right, let's move!" Decided Zinkata.

"Whoa. Wait." Vivli panted. "I need to rest."

"Yeah, all that standing around must have been tiring." Bootus taunted.

"Spell casting _is _tiring!" Vivli cried, dropping down to gather her energy.

"We're never going to save the world at this rate." The galka sighed.

In the main street of San D'Oria where adventurers with better navigational skills were, the battle was tense. Celphie had been cut off from Andrew, but managed to find Dedji in the crowd. They were beating monsters back all around, which was working until a loud screech came, and the ground seemed to shake.  
"Behemoth!" Celphie cried, pointing at it. It was mind bogglingly big, its skin a dark purple, its eyes a blazing yellow and with horns so big they looked easily capable of smashing the entire city apart.

"Let us handle this." Dedji told her. "You hold off the other monsters." Dedji leapt on top of one of the now run down stalls in the San D'Orian streets. "Kazham Forces, unite!" She ordered. Many mithra ran to her. "Our target is that monster!"

Celphie watched in confusion as the mithra ran at it. She didn't quite understand Dedji's insistence the mithra handled it, but was too busy to argue. She was blasting back various creatures; the likes of which she'd never seen before, while desperately searching for her brother. She became distracted as she saw what had once been a young mithra hurl past her and smash into a wall. She turned away as the corpse dropped down. She looked over in horror as the behemoth tore apart the attacking warriors. She could see why Dedji had insisted they handle it. They were far more agile, dodging the swings and blows of the monster, and climbing up onto its back. They were hammering into it, tearing it apart, and still it stampeded. It charged directly towards Celphie, who swung aside, blasting at its underbelly. It continued, being swarmed by mithra who were leaping up onto it. She watched in awe. A gunshot rang out behind.

"Watch your back, sis." Andrew told her as a creature fell dead. Celphie rose.

"There you are!" She snapped. "I've been worried!"

"Ha. I'm not your baby brother anymore, Celphie. I'm the general of this army." Andrew said proudly. A gunshot rang out as Celphie fired over his shoulder. He turned around to see a strange monster fall dead.

"Still need me to look out for you, _General_." She smirked.

Dedji was clinging desperately to one of the giant horns. She swung herself around, driving her spear down into the flesh of the behemoth. It reared back, screaming, and flung her from it. She crashed down hard, and groaned in pain. The behemoth stormed through a building, smashing it apart.

Vivli shrieked in terror as a gigantic behemoth tore through a building that had previously cut the Light Warriors off from the action. Angel allowed herself a chuckle at this, despite the danger.

"SPLIT!" Zinkata ordered, and the five ran in separate directions. The beast rammed through the outer wall, sending dust everywhere. Vivli turned away, her eyes watering. She saw Dedji laying sprawled in the battle ravaged street.

"SIS!" She screamed, running.

"No! Viv!" Zinkata cried. "Look! It's the Chateau!" The behemoth had torn a clean path to the Chateau sure enough. "We have to end this!"

"I'm not leaving her!" Vivli yelled.

"Don't let personal issues get in the way!" Zinkata commanded.

"No!" Vivli screamed to the hume's face. "I do anything. I follow every command. I _trust _you. But not this time!" She turned and disappeared into the battlefield.

"VIVLI!" Zinkata yelled as loudly as he could, but it was with concern, not rage.

Vivli dodged falling monsters all around her, closing in on her injured sister. She got close, but something grabbed her tail, pulling her back.

"You will be exterminated!" Bellowed the skeletal warrior. She drew her staff, and skeleton moved in. She battered it feebly, and it grabbed hold of her, easily over powering her. She found herself pinned down as the creature prepared to finish her off. She shut her eyes tightly in fear.

"Hey!" Came a voice. "Let's see how you handle someone your own size!" The skeleton looked up as something flew at it. Vivli couldn't see what happened next, but heard the skeleton being beaten back. She got up to see it being held down by someone. She started concentrating, and cast her most powerful white magic spell at the two. The skeleton blew apart, and the figure turned. His face was distorted, but the white magic was healing it. It slowly turned back.

"Olose!" Vivli gasped in combined fear and horror. Olose's eyes became full of tears.

"Vivli!" He ran to her, and she backed away, afraid. "I'm-" He paused. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. How can I-" Another monster flew in, and Olose almost instinctively dodged it. Vivli looked, but in the chaos couldn't speak to him properly, and was fast losing him. She heard Dedji groan, and turned back to her.

"Sis! It's going to be alright." Vivli quickly began to cast a spell, struggling to concentrate as her mind raced. She was horrifically confused. The white light engulfed Dedji and she sat up.

"Look out!" She instantly yelled. Vivli spun around as Olose marched towards her. She let out a shriek of terror as he grabbed her and-

and hugged her? She looked up in confusion.

"I'm so sorry." Olose wept. "I can't ask you to forgive me. I can't expect you to forgive me. And I can never justify myself." Vivli could see these were real tears. "You defeated me. But I wasn't allowed to die. My body regenerated. Except the wound you had given me. Altana wanted me to remember. She wanted me to see. I had to see what I had done." He dropped to his knees crying, and Vivli followed him down, crying herself. "And then you healed that wound. But no. I can't take that as forgiveness. You can't forgive me."

"Oh, Olose." Vivli sighed, sounding like a stereotypical adventure heroine, "Of course I forgive you!"

"Get away from her you bastard!" Zinkata yelled in rage.

"NO!" Vivli cried, springing to her feet. "It's him! He's back!"

"Vivli, don't trust him." Zinkata warned.

"Viv, remember what he's done." Voldos chimed in.

"I couldn't forgive the bastard anyway." Bootus remarked.

"He's back to normal!" Vivli protested. Olose hadn't moved. He had stayed slumped, crying.

"So what if he is? He deserves to die for what he's done!" Zinkata spat.

"_Nobody deserves to die!_" Vivli yelled, almost reciting the white mage code. "Every sin can be made up for."

"This isn't the time for this. We have to get to the Chateau, but its heavily guarded." Olose looked up as Zinkata said this.

"The guards." He said, his voice breaking. "Run past them. I'll hold them off. They can't kill me, unfortunately." Vivli looked at him with tearful eyes.

"Can we trust you?" Zinkata asked.  
"I want to die." Olose stated. "I _will _die before I harm any of you again. That you can be assured of."  
"Very well." Zinkata decided. "Let's move!" The four Light Warriors and Olose ran off towards the Chateau.

Angel watched as the heroes bolted by, but didn't follow. Instead she turned her attention to the stampeding behemoth, which was wondering back towards the main part of the battle. She gulped and began to summon. Bahamut had long since disappeared, so she would have to rely on something else.

"Ifrit!" She cried as the fiery demon appeared. "Take care of that thing!"

"If you wish." Ifrit replied, charging at the behemoth. She watched as Ifrit was flung aside by the mighty horns of the beast. He started firing fireballs at it, and the behemoth reeled back. Andrew and Celphie caught sight of this, and ran to either side of Angel to protect her as she concentrated on helping Ifrit win the battle.

The demon was slammed into the ground and rose angrily. Angel poured her concentration into lending Ifrit what power she could.

"Ifrit," She yelled, drawing upon what ancient powers her abilities would allow, "Use Hellfire!" The demon burst into the air, and the ground beneath him boiled into lava, rising in a gigantic fiery ball. Ifrit pulled it back and batted it down at the behemoth. It exploded spectacularly, throwing light and flames all over the battlefield. The behemoth stumbled forwards.

"NOW!" Dedji commanded, and the mithra swarmed the beast, driving their weapons through it. It screamed and bellowed before collapsing. Dedji sighed, jumping down and off of the monster. She looked across at the Chateau. "Good luck sis." She whispered. "It all depends on you now."

"No chance." Sighed Voldos, looking at the hundreds of enemies swarming around the Chateau. "You wouldn't last two seconds." He said to Olose.

"I'm immortal." Olose gave in explanation.  
"Don't try to fool me." Vivli said to him with concern. "A werewolf is mortal provided his physical body remains in existence. They'd rip you apart and kill you."

"I can hold them off until your inside. Then your safe and you can deal with the fiends." Olose told Vivli.

"You're asking me to let you die for us!" Vivli cried. "I can't let you do that!"

"Vivli. Do you know how old I am? Six hundred and fifteen. For six hundred years I've existed on this planet. Six hundred years have passed me by. Six centuries. And I've always served myself. Always fighting for a reward, for money, for glory, for me. Just this once, at the end of the road, let me do something for somebody else. Let my life be worth something." Vivli looked at him, tears forming her eyes. "Let it end with me helping somebody else, not just myself. Don't let my life be worthless." He placed a hand on her cheek. "Let me die. Let me die for you. Let me die to save the world." Zinkata gulped, and nodded.

"Okay. Let's do it." He said grimly. Vivli looked at him, tears pouring down her face. The look said it all. Zinkata's expression remained stony, but grim.

"Thank you." Olose mouthed to Zinkata silently, making sure Vivli couldn't see.

"I love you!" Vivli sobbed. Olose smiled.

"I know." He smirked despite his tears. Vivli managed a tearful half smile as Olose turned towards the monsters. "Now run." He sprinted into the hoard of guards as they ambushed him.

"You will be exterminated!" Cried the skeletal guards in their typical fashion. Some of the more sentient monsters began snarling other things at him.

"Do you really think you can take us all out?" One cried.

"No." He answered simply.

"Then prepare to die!" It yelled.

"Fantastic." Olose replied, tears forming in his eyes as he glanced at Vivli and began to fight. Fight for her. He had lied. He had said it was for the world. It was for her.

"Olose!" Vivli sobbed. Zinkata pulled her away and the four Light Warriors sprinted for the Chateau, bursting through the main door. The four fiends awaited them beyond. Once again, the Light Warriors alone were marching to an epic confrontation to decide the fate of Vana'diel.

**Author's Note: This chapter is slightly shorter than normal, but that felt like the best place to end it. A few things, Ifrit's Hellfire is based off the move in FFVIII because I haven't seen his attack in FFXI, so sorry about that, but I made sure to say it's an 'ancient technique' so it could just be something special Angel got him to do.**

**Also, I seem to be able to create humour, but sad scenes I've never been able to do. This ended with my attempt. It's short, but the best I could do. It feels a little rushed to me, but writing scenes like that never was a strength of mine.**

**And Star Wars fans may recognise "I love you" "I know" as the Leia/Han exchange in Empire Strikes Back. Well, this time it was an intentional homage. When I first invented Olose, he was supposed to be a Han Solo type figure. Once I applied the werewolf backstory (which was originally an idea for a whole story on its own) he became a crossover between Han Solo and The Doctor from Dr Who. At least in my head. So that line homage's his origins more than just my favourite movie. This is doubled by having him say 'fantastic' which was shoe-horned in as the new Doctor's catchphrase from the new Dr Who series. I thought if I was killing him off, I might as well homage his origins first.**


	25. XXV

**Author's Note: Well, somebody finally spotted "You will be exterminated!" was inspired by the Daleks! In fact, their battle cry (as far as I know, I've only been able to watch the new series) is just "Exterminate! Exterminate!" but, when I wrote the first chapter with the skeletons in, I was writing it just after watching the episode of Dr Who in which the Daleks return, so I had the word 'exterminate!' stuck in my head. Well done Phabrizoe! I think this story is full of references to things I like, a combination of me not being original and me liking to homage things.**

**Also, thanks for the constructive criticism. I've gone back and changed the one you pointed out, but I'm certain I do it more. It's because I come up with phrases that sound good in my head, and then forget if I've already used them. I must also admit I commit the worse crime a writer can: I _don't _read over my work once I've written it. I know I really really should, but I don't. I actually get very nervous now when writing the arguments between Vivli and Bootus, because I think I've used almost every type of argument I can, and I'm often afraid I'm going to repeat myself. But yeah, I'll watch myself more closely to try and catch those, because I can see why you say its distracting, it really is.**

**Other than that, thanks a million for the kind words, and I'm glad you've enjoyed the story. Yes, we are indeed on Hades, and feel free to send a /t to any of us (especially if you feel like annoying Bootus) at any time. We're currently in San d'Oria levelling our new classes (which pretty much confirms they'll be a FFXI Chronicles 3 now, because I have the new classes to write about _and _an old friend has just started playing and levelling with us, meaning they'll be a fifth character joining the regular four). So, if you're near San, feel free to come and find us and say hello. If not, just feel free to /tell us. (That goes for any reader on Hades!). We're on most evenings and almost all day at the weekends (that's British time mind you), so if your on then, you should be able to find us.**

**And now I have one point left before these author notes become far too long to logically exist. Crazy Steve. I'm very glad to see you think he's the coolest character. Crazy Steve has some history behind him. A long time ago (but not in a galaxy far far away) we played Dungeons and Dragons (yeah, I know, how sad am I?). Ironically, it was me, Bootus, Zinkata, and Voldos (except with our real names). Anyway, I was the DM, and it was my job to make up the story. I had it nicely planned out, and there was a section where they were gonna catch a ship. Our heroes decided to go into a tavern and ask. So I had to come up with a name quickly for the captain, so I just said 'Steve', adding 'Crazy' on the front instead of Captain so I could improvise a character. That same ship got attacked and torn in half. Crazy Steve never noticed and went down with the ship, only to crop up in a tavern much later. Somehow, a character I improvised on the spot became everybody's favourite over any I planned out. And so I decided to stick him in this as a reference to those old days. Long live Crazy Steve!**

**Also: Curses! My plan to put lines in to break up the paragraphs didn't work either! Dammit, this is impossible!**

**Now, there was something else I was supposed to be doing. Oh yeah, writing a chapter!**

**PART XXV**

The throne room had changed drastically. Now, the gigantic black orb that Lich had stolen from the Temple of Uggalepih floated in the centre, spreading a dark influence over the room. The stones had been turned to black, the throne itself had been burst, and gathered stood the four fiends, staring at the four heroes.

"Welcome." Lich roared. The heroes glanced to each other. "I'm glad to see we aren't so different."

"What?" Vivli cried in an angry sob. "We're not like you!"  
"Aren't you?" Lich asked. "You used your pawns just like we use ours. You used them to breech the city, you used them to get to us, and now you've decided to sacrifice one just so you could selfishly have the last battle yourselves. Sounds like the kind of thing I would do."

"DAMN YOU!" Vivli screamed, running at the fiend. Lich hurled her back with a bolt of lightning, and she dropped down, squirming in pain.

"They aren't pawns." Zinkata said, calmly drawing their sword. "We all fight together to stop you. And you won't win. Olose may have sacrificed himself, but he sacrificed himself so we could stop you. It's all planned. Every last person is important. We care about everybody. Our armies aren't just animated bodies shouting a single phrase."

"Well, we shall see who wins, won't we?" Lich countered.

"That we will." Zinkata agreed, almost with a wry smile.

"How we gonna do this?" Voldos asked with a sarcastic casual attitude.

"Well, four of them, four of us. One on one." Zinkata stated. Vivli shot him a frightened look.

"What?" She cried.

"Relax. We can handle it." Bootus told her.

"I can't! I'm a mage! I can't handle things on my own!" She ranted in a panic.

"You handle Lich. He's weak against your magic." Zinkata instructed her. The fiends watched, amused, as they planned their battle. "Voldos? Who do you want?"

"Well, I'm better with a bow than the rest of you." Voldos began. "Hell, I'm elvaan, I'm better at everything, but _especially _with a bow. So I'll take Tiamat, I can shoot at him in the air."

"Bootus?" Zinkata prompted.

"Well, while I love the idea of going up against a five sword wielding snake woman, I'd rather fight Kraken and not get stabbed to death." The galka answered.

"Leaves me with Kary then." Zinkata stated. The four took fighting poses, snapping back into their serious hero attitude. Vivli was visibly shaking, clearly a lot more scared than the others. "Attack!" Zinkata ordered.

Bootus threw himself at Kraken. Kraken grabbed him in a tentacle and threw him across the room. Bootus slammed into the black wall and dropped down.

"Is that all your offering me?" Kraken roared. Bootus got up painfully.

"Just an opening blow." He spat as he got out his claw weapons. "Let's see what else you can do."

"Very well." Kraken shot at him, waving another tentacle. Bootus cut it off with his claws.

"Not doing so well then?" He remarked. Kraken shot his remained seven tentacles around Bootus, lifting the galka up and crushing him.

"Let's see how you get out of this." Kraken laughed as Bootus felt his ribs being compacted under the pressure.

Tiamat was proudly perched in the top corner of the room. Voldos fired arrows at him. They slammed into the dragon's form. He looked down on Voldos.

"He calls that an attack!" Remarked one head.

"Show him what a real attack his!" The second announced.

"QUAKE!" The three heads bellowed together, and the entire room shook, crumbling.

Vivli had been rapidly backing away from Lich when she fell over as the room rumbled. Lich hovered in the air, approaching her. She backed up against the wall.

"Banish!" She cried, and Lich took the hit, continuing to move. She paused. "Dia!" She tried. Lich didn't even slow down. She didn't have time to cast anything more powerful. She turned, stumbling to her feet, and ran.

"Bind." Lich said casually, and a yellow electricity crackled around her feet, pinning her to the ground. She struggled to move, but it was futile. Lich floated down in front of her face. She was crying in fear. She pulled desperately at her feet, but the bind spell made sure she couldn't move. "Calm down." Lich told her. She didn't. "It's okay." She continued to try to move, and continued to cry. "Oh fine, if you won't be calm. I'll make you calm." She winced, ready for a spell that would finish her off. Her eyes were tightly shut. She realised too late what Lich was doing. He reached behind her ears, and began to scratch them. She suddenly felt herself becoming lost as her body became overwhelmed with a bizarre feeling of pleasure.

"No!" Was all she managed to get out before feeling herself disappear into the void. She was once again entirely helpless to do anything.

Zinkata was blocking desperately against Kary's onslaught.

"Dammit woman!" He cursed. "You have far too many swords!"

"I never claimed to fight fairly." Kary hissed. Zinkata's speed at blocking was saving him, but he couldn't get off a good attack. He knew he needed a new plan. Kary swept in with one arm. Zinkata jumped, landing on it and back flipped onto another. From here he jumped forwards into a front flip, landing on Kary's head. He slid down behind her, driving his sword into her back. She let out a yelp and her tail coiled around, grabbing Zinkata and flinging him back in front of her. He slammed down painfully and watched as the five swords were driven down on him. He spun his sword in a quick circle, blocking them all away and rolling back over to face her, on his feet once more.

"Whew, all that training as a thief came in handy." He sighed. His entire body was suddenly engulfed by flames, and he fell back, charred. He staggered to his feet, in pain.

"Now to finish you off!" Kary snarled.

Bootus had fallen silent.

"Had enough?" Taunted Kraken. The galka didn't reply. Instead he was focusing on his inner power. He suddenly burst into life with a roar, breaking the four tentacles and charging at Kraken's main body. He leapt up and started pounding the fiend's body. Kraken let out a snarl, falling back. His seven tentacles shot out, slamming into Bootus one after another. The galka fell back, seven lashes showing on his chest, torn through his gi. Water blasted him back before he could recover, and Bootus collapsed as Kraken moved in for the kill.

Voldos fired more arrows as Tiamat swooped down towards him. Voldos waited for the right moment, and swung upwards with his sword, slicing off one of Tiamat's legs. The beast yelped in pain, and dropped down. Voldos ran at him, jumping up onto his body, and started stabbing wildly. Tiamat limped into the air, hovered for a bit, and collapsed. Tiamat's body exploded into an array of light, which rocketed back into the black orb. Voldos smiled.

"Told 'em we elvaans were the best." He remarked.

Zinkata watched as his sword flew from his burnt hand. He jumped backwards, drawing a dagger and throwing it at Kary to slow her down. She swung in at him, and he stepped inside her arm, blocking with his arms raised. He managed to grab her sword off of her, and turn around to fight. Voldos ran to his side.

"I can't leave you to do anything, can I?" The elvaan laughed.

"You had the bickering three headed one. I have the super sword wielding snake. You had it easy." Zinkata gave in excuse as the two began to fight Kary. The fiend was now beginning to struggle to block the continuous attacks, despite her extra arms. She decided to blow back Voldos with a fireball, so that she concentrate on Zinkata. Voldos flew back, his armour on fire. He threw it off while screaming as Zinkata began to find himself driven back again by Kary.

Vivli felt like she was floating. She couldn't focus on anything. Her brain couldn't send messages to her body, and she didn't want to hear them anyway. She was happy. She didn't care that she was going to die. She just wanted to lay back and be happy. _No! _Her brain screamed. _No! Don't lay down! Think! Think! _She couldn't respond. _Just a few minutes longer, _she decided. She suddenly had an idea. She couldn't move. She was lost in pleasure. But she could think. She could mentally prepare a spell! As soon as Lich let go of her, he'd go to kill her. But in that time she could strike out. She began to think. She tried her best to concentrate. It was hard, but she could feel herself mentally preparing to cast her most powerful raise spell on Lich. She was wobbly. Her entire body turned to jelly as her brain attempted to think despite being over loaded. She wanted to give up and keel over to the feelings she had. But she knew she couldn't. This was the fate of the world! Olose had died for this! She wasn't going to let herself fail. Not just because of some biological reaction. She couldn't. She wouldn't. She remembered when Olose had said she would be helpless to fight it. She had to prove him wrong. She simply had to.

Kraken lashed down on Bootus, and the galka rolled aside, meaning Kraken only crashed against the stone floor. Rocks flew everywhere as the stony floor was ripped apart. Bootus was plucked up by his foot, and found himself dangling upside down. The galka grabbed onto the tentacle holding him, and flipped himself around. Kraken slammed him into the floor. Bootus rose up as the dust settled.

"How are you still standing?" Boomed Kraken.

"We galka are pretty tough." Bootus taunted, running at the fiend. Again the tentacles lashed out, and Bootus was forced back. He fell backwards, landing by Zinkata's discarded sword. He grabbed it, and spun it around, hacking his way through the tentacles and getting close to the main body of Kraken. He began driving his fists into the beast, slamming him back. He grabbed the sword and drove it into Kraken's skull. The fiend exploded in a white light which rocketed back into the black orb as it had with Tiamat.

Zinkata knocked two of Kary's blades aside, getting inside the fiend's attacks. This left her defenceless as Zinkata drove the sword he stole from her into her chest. In her moment of shock he grabbed each sword from her hands and drove them into her. Kary bellowed in pain, fell down, and exploded into white light which shot into the orb.

"And now you die." Lich hissed venomously. He summoned his bone sword to strike down Vivli with. She opened her eyes just before he did.

"RAISE!" She yelled.

"WHAT?" Lich managed to scream as the white light cut through him, knocking him off his feet. He landed, dazed. Vivli's body shook as it tried to recover from the state it had been in. The Light Warriors ran in, surrounding Lich. He was sprawled on his back on the floor. Vivli recovered, and walked over him. "Go on then." Lich challenged. "Finish it." Zinkata nodded to Voldos and elvaan brought his sword down on the fiend's head. As he did Vivli recast her spell, and the fiend erupted into white light which shot into the orb.

The blackness within the orb faded. The four watched in awe.

"We did it." Bootus sighed.

"The four fiends are back." Zinkata stated. "Back where they belong."

"The armies outside should have collapsed each time we killed one." Vivli explained.

"So it's over. We won?" Voldos asked. "Finally."

"Still, the fiends gave in a little easy." Zinkata said.

"Easy?" Vivli cried. "You call that easy?"

"Something doesn't feel right." Zinkata began. A ringing noise began to come from within the orb.

"Oh no." Vivli suddenly stated blankly. "It can't be."

"What? What can't be?" Voldos asked quickly.

"The fiends were born of Chaos and Chaos was born of the fiends." Vivli said in terror as the orb shattered in a spectacular flash.

The light was too much, and the Light Warriors had to hide their eyes. As they looked back their eyes began to refocus.

"You have finished it indeed." Came an all to recognisable voice. The Demon Lord Chaos stood before them, huge in his form, his ghastly bronze shell and glowing purple eyes an image they had never forgotten. "I am reborn! And my vengeance shall be complete!"

"We're in no shape to take out Chaos." Vivli sobbed.

"We have to run." Zinkata agreed.

"Run? Pathetic!" Chaos laughed. "A million years ago you defeated me! Now it is time for my vengeance! The fiends were but a catalyst for my return! The ultimate fail-safe mechanism. If I won, they would have destroyed Gaia with me, but if I lost, I would use them to resurrect me now where my victory was assured!"

"That's why Lich never escaped his orb until you were defeated." Vivli suddenly said, understanding. "Because Lich knew, and has always known, that you lost. He's always known that you lost the first time you fought us. He knew your first attempt to return would be a failure. So he waited. He waited."

"She's pretty smart isn't she?" Chaos laughed. "Yes. Lich knew. He waited. Everything he's done has been working towards this. You have been but pawns. Every little victory you achieved. He has just been manipulating you."

"Why?" Zinkata asked. "Why not just let us defeat him right away to reform you?"

"True, I am formed of the spirits of the fiends." Chaos stated. "Your defeat of them is what led to my return. But returning right away would not have been profitable." He laughed, out stretching his arms. "Look! Look at your world!" He boomed. "It has fallen apart. Your armies are damaged or destroyed, your cities weakened. And tell me this, right now, every last army of Vana'diel is in this city." A smile crossed his face as shadowy magic rocketed from his arms and out of the castle. "And so, I send forth my shadow dragons! Not to here, but to Bastok, to Windurst, to Jeuno-" He paused, looking to Vivli. "And yes, to Kazham. The undefended cities. The entire world shall fall under me! The first time we fought, I was destined to lose. You had the crystal shards and the luck. This time, Vana'diel is mine! Gaia will be mine!" Chaos began to summon a spell. The Light Warriors chose not to stick around to find out what it would be. They ran out of the castle, bolting down the corridors.

They ran out into the gardens. They quickly ascended onto the top walls of the castle, just trying to get away. Chaos burst after them. They came to the edge of the castle.

"We're going to die!" Vivli sobbed.

"I think she may be right." Bootus commented. They suddenly noticed something flying towards them. The _Raven II _rocketed down from above, and Cid threw down a rope ladder.

"MOVE!" He yelled. They four scurried up it. Chaos flew after them.

"This is not over!" Chaos yelled at them. "Have back your precious elvaan city! The others are mine! It is too late to save them! Enjoy your final days here. My armies are coming and they will wipe you from this planet! I am victorious! Gaia is mine!" Chaos flew away, leaving the four on the deck of the _Raven II _in awe.

True to his word, Chaos had not attacked San d'Oria. The shadow dragons had been sent to the other nations. None could be raised on linkshell. The armies assembled in the war torn streets of San d'Oria. Zinkata met with Andrew to explain exactly what had happened. Vivli searched the streets frantically. Voldos followed her.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Outside the Chateau." She said. "There were bodies of monsters. But no Olose. I think he survived." She sounded optimistic. Voldos looked at her.

"Viv. He's dead." The elvaan said bluntly. "This is a war. You can't find all the bodies." Vivli stood there for a moment. Voldos could see what was going to happen. She burst into tears. Voldos sighed, hugging her to comfort her.

Andrew sat back, considering the information he had been given.

"We're in trouble." Andrew admitted.

"Not as such." Zinkata decided. "Chaos is the centre point of all this. The problem with the fiends and Chaos is constant. It's a literal case of 'destroy the leader and the army falls'. If we can kill Chaos, we can save the world."

"Any idea how?" Andrew asked.

"We've defeated him before." Zinkata explained. "But remember, only we can fight him. His Shadow Magic will destroy anybody else. Even without the crystal shards, we seem to be immune, or he would have killed us within the Chateau."

"The armies are exhausted. Hundreds are dead. What can we do?" Andrew asked.

"Nothing. I suggest we rest. We fortify our defences." Zinkata explained. "Chaos will come to finish us off, but until then, this is our new home. San d'Oria has gone from being the most evil city in Vana'diel to our last hope."

"Celphie!" Andrew cried, and his sister solemnly reported in with a depressed salute. "Tell everybody, and I mean _everybody _with linkshells to send out messages to the nations. Tell everybody to retreat and head for San d'Oria. Tell them to get everybody here." Andrew paused.

"This world isn't going to end while we're around." Zinkata smirked.


	26. XXVI

**Author's Note: Another shorter chapter setting up the climax, and the second I've written from scratch today. Where the time to do that came from I have no idea! Anyway, although it is slightly shorter, hopefully its okay to read.**

**PART XXVI**

Bootus, Zinkata and Voldos sat on the steps outside the residential area of San d'Oria. The city was strangely silent. Shock and mourning was the explanation.  
"Where's Vivli?" Zinkata asked quietly.

"Crying her eyes out." Voldos explained. "She was all last night as well. I eventually left Dedji with her. I needed the break." Voldos looked around. "How's everybody else holding up?"

"Most people are just angry." Zinkata answered. "Pretty much everybody here is used to death, and they're all a lot more experienced and braver than Vivli is. They'll manage. Most want to just rush out and attack straight away."

"Sounds like brave and experienced thinking to me." Came a quiet female voice from behind them. The three turned around.

"Sorry, Viv, I didn't mean it like that." Zinkata sighed. The tiny mithra sat down with them.

"I know." She feebly tried to smile, but failed.

"Where's Dedji?" Bootus asked, deciding he had been quiet for too long.

"Andrew had something important to tell her." Vivli answered. "She's gone to talk it over with him."

"How are you holding up?" Bootus asked in a very unexpected manner.

"I'll be fine." She lied. The tears in her eyes confirmed this.

"Do you really think the other nations have been destroyed?" Voldos asked, risking to bring it up.

"No." Bootus answered. "Chaos is too sadistic. He wants this world to fade from around him and to watch it crumble. He wouldn't kill unless he has too. Conquer, yes. But not kill."  
"There's a problem." Vivli spoke. She had started crying, and so frantically wiped away the tears with her robe and started to talk to try and take her mind off things. "If Chaos wants to drain the land like he's always aimed, then he needs the fiends. Something doesn't add up. Something we're missing."  
"I don't think it matters anymore." Zinkata admitted. "We have to destroy Chaos. It's as simple as that."

"But how?" Bootus asked, exasperated. "Where is he?"

"Guys?" Came a voice. It was Celphie. "You might want to hear this." The four Light Warriors got up, and followed the hume.

They met up in the barracks section of the Chateau, now converted to a place to head military operations. Andrew walked up to them.

"I'm glad to see you." He said simply. "The good news is the other nations seem to still exist." He confirmed. The four let out an audible sigh of relief. "Celphie's been trying to find survivors by linkshell all night. We got nothing from _anyone. _Then we found this. Listen." He threw them a linkshell. Each of the four warriors held it, and listened closely.

"Three down, one to go." It was the voice of Chaos. "Rest assured, nobody is harmed. Just repressed by my Shadow Magic. They shall live to see this land rot from beneath them, unless I have to kill them. I shall take San d'Oria. And then I shall have four nations. Four nations and four Light Warriors. For each warrior that lives, I shall wipe out a nation. Either the Light Warriors die or everybody in this world does." The message ended.

"That's been playing through every linkshell." Andrew explained. The four warriors looked stunned.

"Wait, so we have a choice." Bootus tried to confirm. "Either, we die, and everybody else lives to see the world die and then themselves, or we let everybody die. Am I the only one who sees only one conclusion from this? Everybody dies?"

"Chaos wants us dead." Zinkata summarised. "Probably because he fears us."

"Yeah, we are pretty scary." Vivli said. Andrew let out a laugh, hearing this come from the harmless mithra.

"Sorry." He quickly said.

"I have an idea." Zinkata stated, holding the linkshell. "Let's see if we can't kill two birds with one stone."

"Okay, Chaos." He cried. "You got our attention. You want us to die, fine. But you'll have to do it yourself." There was a pause.

"Very well." Chaos roared in response. "I shall come for you. And we shall do final combat as before." The linkshell fell silent and Zinkata looked up.

"Is that good or bad?" Vivli asked rhetorically.

The four had gathered around a table, joined by Andrew, Celphie Prince Trion and Dedji.

"It sounds simple." Zinkata said in explanation. "Chaos comes. We fight. We win. The world is saved."

"You'rrrrrre rrrrrrelying on yourrrrr ability." Dedji pointed out. "What if Chaos wins?"

"We're just going to have to make sure he doesn't." Bootus gave in answer.

"But, he could easily kill you." Dedji said in concern.

"Look, we'll protect Vivli, okay?" Zinkata guessed why she was so worried. "I promise. She won't get hurt." Dedji still looked concerned.

"We have time." She said. "Don't stand around! Get trrrraining!" She turned to Vivli. "Come with me! If my little sister has to fight a demon, I'm making sure she knows everything I do." Vivli gave the others a glance, and followed Dedji out.

"I think I may be able to assist you also." The Prince said. "Please, follow me." The remaining Light Warriors got up, confused, and followed Trion out of the room.

The three warriors followed the Prince into the armoury. He pulled on a spear, and a stone wall slid aside.

"What?" Voldos gasped.

"A secret passageway. Neat." Zinkata commented. The three walked in to a large, dark, stone room. Something glowed at the centre. A sword, radiating a light blue shine.

"I present to you the original _Masamune_." The Prince said proudly.

"_Masamune_?" Zinkata repeated. There was silence as they waited for Vivli to explain like she usually did. "Oh right, she's not here." Zinkata suddenly said. The Prince gave him a strange look.

"Yes, _Masamune_, the original sword that struck down Chaos a million years ago. Used by the original Light Warriors and preserved by the Goddess Altana to this day." Trion removed it, and held it out. "It fell into San d'Oria's hands by a seeming coincidence decades ago. I now see it was Altana preparing for this day. Take it. If anything can give you the upper hand against Chaos, this can."

"It's all yours Zin." Voldos said with a nod. "I'm better with a bow." Zinkata took the legendary blade in awe.

Vivli swung her little staff with a yelp.

"NO!" Dedji cried, sounding frustrated. "For Altana's sake, don't be scarrrrred of attacking! Keep your eyes open!" Vivli gulped. And swung again, instinctively shutting her eyes just before the staff hit the wooden rod Dedji was using for training. Dedji sighed heavily.

"Sorry." Vivli said quietly.

"Okay, look, let's try something else. You need to stay safe. Let's try defence." Dedji took a combat stance, and attacked slowly overhead. Vivli held up her staff in a block, stopping it. She shut her eyes again, instinctively. Dedji pushed down, and Vivli struggled weakly, collapsing under the pressure. Dedji held the pole out to her. "Eyes! Open!" She snapped.

"Sorry." Vivli said again.

"And, look, Chaos is going to be a lot stronger than me. If you can't stand up to the blow, deflect it. Hold your staff on an angle and a blow will slide away. Redirect the force, don't try and combat it."

"Okay." Vivli said with a nervous nod. Dedji attacked. Vivli held her staff to the side and Dedji's pole slid easily off it, unfortunately crushing Vivli's fingers along the way that were gripped around the staff. "OW!" The little mithra cried, dropping her staff. Dedji sighed again.

"It seems silly, doesn't it? But in a fight, you'd of just lost your fingers." Vivli went a little red from embarrassment. "Didn't they teach you any of this in the Monastery?"

"We got basic combat, but I really wasn't interested." Vivli admitted. "I used to fake illness to get out of it. I hated combat class." Dedji sighed again. "In my defence I never thought I'd have to fight the Demon Lord Chaos!" Vivli pointed out. "Twice!" She added after a while, which made Dedji snicker.

"Look, okay. You got overhead strikes." Dedji wasn't confident in the slightest Vivli was prepared, but had to rush through things. "Now what do you do if somebody attacks you with a side swing?" She asked.

"Cry?" Vivli suggested. Dedji laughed again.

"You're really bad at this." She mocked. Vivli laughed a little. They were both trying to relieve the tension of knowing such a major battle was near, and that there was a good chance they were never going to see each other again. "Right, I think the best thing to do is take up a typical fencing stance."

"What's that?" Vivli asked.

"You've never seen someone go en guard?" Dedji asked in shock. Vivli shook her head. "Right, hold the weapon in one hand." Vivli did so. "Now, hold it out in front of you." Dedji demonstrated. Vivli did so. "Watch your feet. They should be at right angles, about shoulder width apart. That means with easy steps you can rapidly move backwards and forwards."

"Why am I doing this? I'm not sword fighting." Vivli pointed out.

"No, but if your in this stance, they have to get your weapon out the way before they can hit you." Dedji explained. "This means that when you get attacked, you can easily move back while they try to get rid of your weapon." Vivli looked a little confused. "Watch." Dedji lunged at Vivli, and jumped straight into Vivli's weapon. It would have been an effective demonstration, but Vivli screamed and dropped her staff, recoiling. Dedji sighed again. "If you had kept hold of that, I'd of hit your weapon, and not you. It means I have to beat the staff aside before I can attack you. Gives you those extra moments."

"It's not going to do me much good." Vivli mumbled.

"That's because I haven't taught you deceptions yet. Attack me." She held out her pole in the en guard position. Vivli swung her staff at the pole. Dedji dipped the pole under the staff as it swung, meaning Vivli completely missed. The tiny mithra fell over without the expected force to stop her swing. "While your opponent won't normally fall over, it will mean he'll have to attack your staff again." Dedji explained, helping Vivli up. Vivli looked at Dedji for a moment, and embraced her.

"Goodbye, sis." She wept. "I don't think your going to be able to teach me enough to survive this in the few hours we have left."

"You're coming back, Viv." Dedji said to her. "I have Zinkata's word. He better not let me down." Vivli laughed a little. "Now stop making excuses and get back to training."

"Damn." Vivli cursed sarcastically, trying to eliminate her doubts and stop the tears flowing through humour.

"This is the greatest thing ever." Zinkata commented, still swinging _Masamune_ around. "It weighs nothing, and cuts through everything like butter."

"I noticed." Voldos said, holding up the two halves of Zinkata's scabbard. "You just gonna carry it? It cuts through everything you put it in."

"I'll tie it to my back by the handle." Zinkata decided.

"I wish I wasn't our bowman." Voldos commented sadly.

"You two are pathetic." Bootus joked. "You all need weapons. I just need my fists!"

"And I could cut you in half with old Massyhere." Zinkata joked.

"Massy?" Voldos repeated.

"Most people nickname their teddy bears and things, he nicknames his swords." Bootus laughed.

"Does that mean you're admitting you have a teddy bear?" Voldos asked the galka.

"Of course I do." Bootus replied as if it was obvious. Voldos looked at him curiously. He pulled a little bear out of his bag. It had a faded pink bow on its ear.

"Isn't that Vivli's?" Zinkata said, looking over.

"Not anymore!" Bootus laughed.

"Oh, she is _not _going to be happy." Zinkata smirked.

"How long ago did you steal that?" Voldos asked curiously.

"Back in Kazham." Bootus answered. "I caught her looking for it. I think she thinks she's lost it. Too embarrassed to admit it to us I guess, but she seemed really upset."

"And that doesn't seem cruel to you at all?" Zinkata asked.

"Not in the slightest." Bootus beamed.

"And we're the heroes." Sighed Voldos.

"Oh, come on!" Bootus laughed. "It is pretty funny!"

"I KNEW IT!" Came a cry from Vivli, who ran over. "GIVE THAT BACK!"  
"Give what back?" Bootus asked.

"The teddy bear!" Vivli yelled.

"What teddy bear?" Bootus said with a confused shrug.

"The one in your hand!" She yelled.

"I have a hand?" She grabbed it, and tried to tug it free. It didn't work.

"Sis? Why do you have a teddy bear?" Dedji asked.

"Don't judge me." Vivli whimpered. "Now give it here!"

"Aren't you two supposed to be training?" Zinkata inquired.

"We're on a break." Vivli sighed. "Now give it here!" She growled like a young child.

"You haven't taught her very well." Bootus remarked as she tried to fight him to get the bear. He casually pushed her on the floor.

"Ow." She mumbled. "Bootus! Give it to me!" Zinkata closed his eyes, and was surprised how easy it was to picture Vivli as a six year old child with the voice she was putting on.

"Come and get it." Bootus taunted, holding it up. And it was surprisingly easy to picture Bootus as the eleven year old brother tormenting his sister. Vivli folded her arms angrily, and waited. "Oh fine." Bootus dropped it for her to catch. She missed it, and quickly picked it up. It looked she was trying to comfort it.

"Urm, Viv, I don't think its alive." Zinkata said. Dedji laughed.

"You guys are the best stress relief everrrrrr." She said.

"We try." Bootus laughed. A sudden rumble cut them off. They all fell silent. Vivli gripped her teddy bear tightly.

"Uh oh." Zinkata sighed.

"It's him." Voldos commented. "Chaos."

**Author's Note: I'd like to point out that Masamune is (or at least was in my opinion) the ultimate weapon in FF1. Any class could equip it, and you found it in the Temple of the Fiends. I don't know if FFXI has its own Masamune (hence why it says 'the original Masamune') but this refers to the original from FF1 that the Light Warriors were supposed to have picked up.**

**Also, I understand the whole teddy-bear sequence is kinda out of place considering the darkness of this climax, but I wanted to make sure we had one final shot of Light Warrior humour before the confrontation. Hopefully it didn't feel too out of place.**


	27. XXVII

**PART XXVII**

The four heroes ran for the exit to San d'Oria. As they walked out, they found hundreds of people in their path. They were deafened by cries and wished of good luck. Children, woman and men of all races were cheering the heroes on.

"About time I got some screaming fans." Voldos said in an attempt to relieve tension. The four walked out of the gates and into the forest of Ronfaure. The Demon Lord Chaos hovered there confidently, waiting for them.

"I could crush that city now, you know?" He said in welcome. "My shadow magic could obliterate it. But I won't use it. No. I want to kill you. The only people who can stand against me."

"You've failed before and you'll fail again." Zinkata yelled, drawing _Masamune _confidently.

"Failed? I was just building up to this." Chaos sneered. "The crystals have been shattered. You have nothing to protect you."

"We'll see." Voldos drew his bow. A wave of shadow magic shot from Chaos's hand and washed over them. The four stood unharmed.

"Well, that still doesn't work." Chaos grumbled. "I'll have to destroy you by more conventional methods."

Chaos flew at the heroes, and they dove aside. He summoned a gigantic sword, and swept down at Zinkata. The blade was radiating with a black energy, the energy Chaos could bring about himself. He swung it at the warrior, who blocked with _Masamune_. The two energies clashed, deflecting each other with a bright flash.

"Curse that Altana!" Spat Chaos. "Once I'm done with you, I'll destroy her."

"Destroy a Goddess?" Vivli cried. "You're insane."

"I am the only god worth worrying about now." Chaos yelled as he turned towards Vivli. Voldos fired arrows, but they pinged uselessly off his form. Vivli gulped, trying to remember what Dedji taught her. She held out her staff in defence, but Chaos swept down, slicing it neatly in half in one sweep and swinging in for the kill with the other. Bootus leapt at the demon, knocking him aside just before he killed the little mithra. Vivli ran in panic.

"You owe me one!" Bootus yelled, pounding the demon. Chaos threw him off with a blast of energy. Zinkata ran in as Chaos swung his blade. The two swords clashed again. Zinkata duelled, rapidly blocking and striking. Voldos ran up behind Chaos, jumping onto his back and digging two daggers into the monster's back. Chaos roared, spinning. Voldos drew his own sword to defend himself, but it was sliced in two by Chaos's dark blade.

"Banish!" Vivli cried, casting her most powerful banish spell. Chaos wasn't even phased, and continued to move in on Voldos. Zinkata ran at Chaos, forcing the demon king to turn around to defend himself against _Masamune's _deadly blade. Chaos clashed his dark blade with the _Masamune, _and again they flashed, the blue and black energies repelling each other.

"My own sword." Sneered Chaos. "Is _Murasame. _The dark blade designed to counter _Masamune's _holy power. Within it resides my own strength and my own power, as Altana's rests in that blade. You cannot destroy it and you cannot defeat me while it burns with my power."

"Talk all you want Chaos, you used that sword when we fought you before, and you died." Zinkata taunted. Bootus charged in again, ducking under Chaos's attack and pounding the fiend in the chest. Chaos soared into the air, and began blasting lightning and fire spells at the heroes. They ran, dodging.

"Shellra!" Cried Vivli, as the green shield spread across the four.

"Do you have to keep announcing what you're casting?" Bootus asked. "It's really annoying."

"Gotta admit Viv, it doesn't make much sense to shout your attack." Zinkata remarked, dodging electricity.

"Just letting you know what I'm doing." Vivli sighed. A bolt of lightning caught Bootus, but the shield weakened it sufficiently so that the galka remained mostly unharmed.

"We have to do something!" Bootus announced. "We can't just keep dodging."

"Don't look at me!" Voldos cried. "My arrows don't make a scratch!"

"My spells are useless!" Vivli yelled in a panic. Chaos shot another bolt at Zinkata. He held out _Masamune _and it absorbed the blow. The sword glowed with energy before it shot back out, striking Chaos and causing him to fall from the air.

"I want that sword." Voldos said wishfully.

Chaos rose quickly as Zinkata ran in. He blocked the hero, and kicked him back. Zinkata flew across the forest, slamming into a tree and dropping down. Bootus ran at Chaos, jumping over _Murasame _with speed and agility that seemed impossible for his bulk. He slammed Chaos in the face, causing him to stumble back. Vivli cast a cure spell on Zinkata, who got up. She started casting something else.

"Keep me covered." She ordered. Zinkata nodded, running at Chaos.

Voldos fired more arrows, that continued to ping off of Chaos. Despite the fact these appeared useless, they were suitably distracting Chaos enough to allow Zinkata and Bootus to land more hits. Vivli finished casting. She gulped. She had never had to cast this spell. She didn't even know if she could.

"HOLY!" She yelled, and a bright white light opened up above Chaos, causing a massive explosion of pure light on the fiend's form. Vivli shook from the energy spent, and dropped to her knees, trying to keep herself up. Chaos burst out of the explosion, and into the air.

"Insignificant wench!" He yelled, blasting a bolt of lightning at her. Vivli was blown back, crashing against a rock painfully. She could barely still move. Voldos fired another arrow, and Chaos turned back to him. The demon flew down at the elvaan, but Zinkata threw himself in the way, lunging upwards with _Masamune. _Chaos diverted his course to avoid skewering himself on the blade, and crashed into the ground. Zinkata pulled out a potion.

"Give this to Vivli!" He cried, throwing it to Voldos. Voldos nodded, running over and making the mithra drink it. Vivli felt her own wounds close up.

"Thanks." She said, before adding; "God, those are disgusting."

"Life savers though." Voldos remarked.

"Did you know they're made of the juice from a spider's web?" Vivli almost threw up as she remembered that little fact.

Chaos burst out of the ground, turning in the air with an angry roar. Zinkata lunged, stabbing the monster in the chest. Chaos flew back.

"Fools!" He roared. "Did you really think this land was going to die on its own?" The others shared a confused glance. "See my true power!" Four orbs appeared, spinning around him. They looked the same as the ones that had contained the fiends' spirits. They shattered, and four bright white lights shot into Chaos.

The Demon Lord began to mutate. At first, it looked like his skeleton exploded within him. It became so reinforced every bone showed through his armoured skin, the ribs becoming clear and viciously curved, his skull beginning to show through his own head and his arms and legs growing greatly in size and showing the bone structure. His wings grew to massive sizes, and two more heads burst out of his armoured shoulders. Four more arms smashed through his armour and his legs mutated into a mass of sharpened tentacles.

"That would be what we missed in his plan." Vivli muttered in disbelief.

"Yes! The power of the fiends is now mine! This world now exists to my whim!" The three heads cried in unison.

"Chaos, you-" Zinkata began.

"Oh no, not Chaos." The new monster laughed. "Chaos is what I was. I am now the result of Chaos. The result of what I have brought upon this world. I am Carnage."

The four took a few steps back.

"You'll have to do more than a fancy name to scare us, Carnage!" Voldos cried ferociously.

"Oh, I intend to." Carnage remarked, hurling a bolt of green electricity at the elvaan. It cut through him, despite the green flash of shell's protective field. Voldos stood still.

"Ha, nice try. You can't defeat us." Zinkata laughed. Voldos dropped down. "Voldos?"

"VOLDOS?" Vivli screamed, running to his side. She looked up in total disbelief. "He's dead." She gasped, tears forming her eyes.

"YOU BASTARD!" Bootus snarled, charging at Carnage. Another bolt struck Bootus, and he dropped down, dead.

"NO!" Zinkata screamed. Vivli broke down crying.

"Two down. Two to go." Carnage stated evilly. "This one I'll enjoy seeing." He hurled _Murasame _through the air and it pieced Vivli's chest, pinning her to a tree.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Zinkata screamed, rushing to her. Blood trickled from her mouth.

"Zin…" She managed to say. "I- Thank you. Thank you for showing me everything."

"No! Viv! Hold on! You're not going to die!" Zinkata yelled.

"Thanks. All that time ago, you stole from me. Started all this." She gulped. "I wouldn't have missed it for the world." Her eyes fell shut. Zinkata dropped to his knees. Carnage held out a hand, and _Murasame _shot back into it. Vivli's corpse dropped down.

"I promised I'd protect her." Zinkata wept. "I promised I'd make sure no harm came to her."

"Then you lied." Snarled Carnage.

"I promised. I _promised. _You tore that apart." Zinkata began to turn to face Carnage.

"This is just a start." Carnage reminded him. "This fate was a taster. This awaits every being on this planet. The pain you feel. I shall make sure every creature knows it before this is over."

"No!" Zinkata yelled. "I'll stop you!"

"What for?" Carnage taunted. "They're dead. Everybody you cared for. I destroyed them."

"You'll burn in hell for this!" Zinkata screamed through tears.

"This world is becoming hell." Carnage laughed. "I shall turn it to hell and all shall fall. And you were the catalyst for it all, Zinkata." He turned to Vivli's body. "She knew that. She said it herself. You started it all. You freed me again. You allowed me to butcher and murder your friends."

"NO!" Zinkata yelled. "It was you! It was you! You bastard!"

"Well, you no longer need to worry." Carnage laughed. "This is where your journey ends. This is where I destroy you."

"NEVER!" Zinkata bellowed, charging the monster.

Carnage was caught off guard, blocking as Zinkata attacked with a fury he had never seen. The hero swept and dove as Carnage tried to counter attack, driving the monster back across the forest. Carnage attempted to counter attack, but it was futile. He was powerless to defend himself against the rage of Zinkata and the speed and power it lent him. The two battling souls approached the walls of San d'Oria. Zinkata had become possessed with an insane fury. Carnage crashed into the wall, causing rubble to fall. Zinkata had a single mind focus, beating the blade of Carnage over and over again. _Murasame _blew apart under the pressure. He swung _Masamune _around and cut off one of Carnage's arms, and then sliced into the tentacles at his base. Carnage fell down. Zinkata held _Masamune _to his neck.

"Go on then." Spat the monster. "Do it! Give in to your hatred! Destroy me! It wont bring them back! Their gone!"

"I don't care." Sobbed Zinkata. "This is where _your _journey ends! Goodbye, Chaos!" He brought the blade down, and sliced off Carnage's head. There was a great eruption as black energy seeped from the beast. A gigantic portal opened in the sky and the energy rocketed up into it. The portal snapped shut, and the Demon Lord Chaos was gone forever.

Zinkata dropped the sword, and fell to his knees, sobbing. It was over. Chaos was gone. His spirit, obliterated. Never again could he return to plague Vana'diel. But at the same time, so were the Light Warriors. They had been destroyed. He sobbed there, on the field. The people of San d'Oria dared to look out. He didn't even notice. Nor did he notice the glow building from within _Masamune. _He began to hear a gentle whispering.

"Zinkata." It was a soft female voice, but with enough authority to command a world. "Take up the sword."

"Altana?" Zinkata gasped. He gripped _Masamune, _and felt himself holding it up. A bright white light rocketed down, hitting the blade and coursing through Zinkata's body. He felt a gentle burning behind his eyes.

"You are the last of the Light Warriors." The voice told him.

"I know." He wept.  
"If I could bring them back at the price of your life, would you let me?" Altana asked.

"Yes." Zinkata answered without a second thought.

"Your heart is pure. You didn't even pause." The Goddess sounded almost amused. "You will not need to forfeit your life. Thanks to the courage of all of you, Chaos, a demon of such power he threatened even my power, has been vanquished. In return, I grant you a second chance."

"A second ch-" Zinkata was cut off as a bright white light rocketed out of his eyes. "AAAAAAAAARGH!" He screamed as it poured into the three bodies laying in the forest. One by one, the slain Light Warriors rose, floating to their feet. Each one was placed down gently on the ground, and their eyes opened. The white light faded.

"Goodbye Light Warriors!" The voice of Altana cried. "And thank you." _Masamune _blew apart in Zinkata's hands, shattering as Altana left it once and for all.

Zinkata couldn't believe it. Bootus was closest, and he ran, embracing the galka before he could react. Bootus had an expression between confusion and horror on his face. Zinkata ran to Voldos, hugging him tightly. Voldos stumbled back, surpised. Finally, Zinkata turned to Vivli, grabbing her, and holding her tightly in a tearful embrace.

"Can't. Breath." Vivli managed to splutter out, completely destroying the moment. Zinkata laughed joyfully.

"You're alive! You're all alive!" Zinkata cried in pure ecstasy. The others smiled, and the four embraced. Dedji, Andrew, Cruth, Celphie, Arcane and Angel all smiled from the gateway of San d'Oria, watching. The whispers behind them, asking what had happened, what that voice had been, all began to change. The city erupted into cheers.

They had won.


	28. XXVIII

**Author's Note: A few things before I get on with the finale. About proof reading. Yes. I'm extremely guilty of _not _proof reading things I write. I generally enjoy writing, not reading what I've written, and rather selfishly, writing this story is really for my own enjoyment. Luckily I have reviewers who often point out the errors. Please continue to do so if you see them, because it gives me an opportunity to fix them.**

**Other things. Thefrogkiller mentioned he was never sure who the main character was supposed to be. Well, to be honest, there isn't supposed to be one. It's the story of four. Vivli appears quite often to be the main character, but that's because (to me at least) she's the most relatable. No, that doesn't mean I think everybody's a cowardly white mage, it means she's the inexperienced one who's almost new to the world. As the one who doesn't know what's going on, it makes her easier to relate to. At least, to me. Zinkata was the warrior in the final battle because he's the most 'serious' character and I thought it fitted him best. Voldos and Bootus are more comical.**

**The fiends, and questions about their size. They're supposed to be fairly big. Pretty much the size they were in Final Fantasy 9, but at times it sounds like they're smaller because of the sword battles. That's just my poor writing.**

**This chapter is short, and to be honest, crap. I've never been good at tying up a story, and this one came off poorly. I'm not sure what I can do to improve it, but I'll happily listen to suggestions. I've changed it once already now in an attempted improvement. I don't think it worked.**

**PART XXVIII**

The outside of the Chateau was packed with people of all nations. Huge flags from every city were flying. The leaders of each stood before the crowd. The King of San d'Oria stepped forwards. He looked out over the crowd and took a deep breath.

"Today, we celebrate victory." The crowd cheered. "We have been victorious, we have destroyed the evil fiends and have saved our fair city. This was not without sacrifice. But let it be known, those that died, died for a reason. They died saving our world, so that we may live. Make no mistake, they were heroes." He looked out facing across the crowd, who split to form a path. "But if there are any heroes worthy of celebrating this day, they are the ones that live." Four people emerged, walking down the now formed path. One, a tall elvaan. One, a hume. One, a gigantic galka. One, a small mithra. They smiled as the crowd erupted in a cheer. "The Warriors of the Light, and the heroes of our age."

"Light Warriors!" Growled Voldos quietly.

"Shush." Vivli told him.

"These four risked their lives to save the world. And that they have done. Everything around you exists only because of their courage." As the four reached the King, he dropped to one knee. "From the bottom of my heart, Light Warriors, I thank you." One by one the leaders of Vana'diel dropped to their knees as a sign of respect in front of the heroes. The crowd fell also.

"I feel tall." Whispered Vivli.

"Well, you're not." Bootus shot. The entire city had dropped in respect before them.

"Are we meant to do something?" Voldos asked.

"I have no idea." Zinkata replied. They were all speaking in whispers to avoid being overheard. The crowd raised again, and erupted into cheering.

"I give you, the heroes of Vana'diel!" The King exclaimed. They roared even louder.

"If this doesn't help you pick up chicks, nothing will." Bootus whispered to Voldos. The four laughed as the crowd cheered, praising their efforts.

The victory celebrations filled the streets. After the pressure everybody had been under, and despite the damage to the city, people felt better off celebrating. The streets were lined with games, stalls and anything else fun enough to warrant being at the celebration. The four Light Warriors joined in. Huge banners displayed the date of the victory, a day forever to be remembered. Vivli looked up, and laughed.

"What?" Zinkata asked.

"Give me a present." She said, strangely.

"What? Why?" Zinkata replied in confusion. Vivli pointed up at the gigantic date displayed.

"It's my eighteenth birthday." She laughed. The other three also laughed.

"Wow. Talk about coincidence." Voldos remarked.

"You realise now every year your birthday is going to be overshadowed?" Bootus told her. "This is going to be a national event."

"Yeah, 'Victory Day', as they're calling it." Zinkata explained.

"I suggested 'Voldos Appreciation Day' but it didn't take." Voldos said. Vivli laughed.

"Well, come on then." Vivli told the others. "I want a present."  
"You can have this teddy bear." Bootus said, holding out Vivli's bear.

"How do you keep getting that?" Vivli snapped., taking it off him.

"You're easy to rob." Bootus joked.

"Yeah, I found that out a long time ago." Zinkata laughed.

"Good thing it is too." Vivli said, folding her arms. "Or else none of this would have ever happened." They looked at the celebrating people in the streets. "I'd of never met any of you. Probably still be a little girl lost in Bastok." The three sniggered.

"It's funny to think, our journey's over." Zinkata reflected. "Every battle, every fight. The world is saved. Again."

"For good this time." Vivli smiled.

"Our quest isn't over." Voldos reminded them. "I _still _haven't got a girl."

"Well, if that's our quest, it'll never be over." Laughed Bootus.

"HEY!" Voldos cried, offended. "Mock me now, I bet I have hoards of screaming fan girls." As if on cue, a group of girls walked past, cheering. "See?"

"WE LOVE YOU BOOTUS!" They cried. Voldos's jaw dropped. Zinkata's jaw dropped. Vivli almost fainted.

"Hehehehe." Bootus giggled.

"How does _he _have fans?" Zinkata asked, baffled.

"Probably some galka fetish." Voldos said to try and excuse the lack of girls screaming his name.

"So what shall we do after this?" Zinkata asked.

"All buy me a present?" Vivli suggested.

"_After that._" Zinkata sighed.

"Go to Kazham?" Vivli suggested again. "I wouldn't mind spending some time with my parents still."

"Yeah, and there's no way those mithra could resist me." Voldos said proudly.

"There really is." Grumbled Vivli. "You don't have to come." She added. "But I'd like it if you did."

"Of course we will." Zinkata laughed.

"First, there's something else I need to do." Vivli said quietly.

It was some time after this that in the darkness of a cave outside Jeuno a tiny figure entered. She walked cautiously along, looking around in the gloom. She had the impression of somebody that was tense, but she continued anyway. Vivli couldn't believe it. After all they'd been through, she still wasn't over her fear of the dark.

"Fiorel?" She asked softly. A figure began to shimmer before her.

"I am glad you're back." The spirit said.

"Fiorel. What now?" She asked.

"Now I leave." Fiorel told her. "Chaos has been defeated once and for all. My purpose here is at an end."

"I guessed as much." The small mithra muttered. "I came to say goodbye."

"Goodbye, Vivli." Fiorel seemed to smile as he faded away.

"Goodbye, brother." Vivli said sadly before turning and leaving.

A small black airship settled down on the water outside Kazham. A ramp fell down and the four Light Warriors emerged. One looked very pale and very ill.

"I hate flying." Vivli said, shaking.

"Make a good impression for your people, Princess." Bootus mocked.

"I am." Vivli replied. "I'm teaching them not to fly." She laughed. The others remained silent.

"You're not funny." Bootus told her. She sighed. "Not a good example for a Princess."

"I've grown. I'm not going to get annoyed by you." Vivli said, crossing her arms.

"Lie all you want." Bootus smirked. "Princess."

"Shut up!" Vivli snapped.  
"See?" Bootus laughed.

"Viv, you really need to stop getting annoyed by that." Zinkata advised.

"That? As in Bootus?" She repeated.

"You're a 'that' now." Voldos said to the galka with a laugh.

"I meant being called 'Princess'." Zinkata sighed. "A lot more people'll be doing it now."

"But it sounds so odd." Vivli whined. "Besides, when he says it, it's meant as an insult."

"What?" Bootus cried in mock offence. "I'm entirely serious!"

"Isn't it supposed to be every girl's dream to be a princess, anyway?" Voldos asked.

"Not when that girl hangs out with you guys." Vivli grumbled.

"So what do you want to do, now that you're here?" Zinkata decided to move the subject away.

"Go and spend some time with my family." Vivli replied. "You guys go and do whatever you usually do."

"But I usually insult you." Bootus pointed out.

"That you do." She grumbled. "I guess I'll see you guys later." She paused. "I, urm, don't know the next time I'll go adventuring with you though. I mean, this is my family. I was never an adventurer. This is where I belong."

"We understand Viv." Zinkata said. "Everybody needs a family at some point."

"Come on." Voldos gestured, "Let's at least walk her there."

The four walked to the hut in which Vivli's family lived. They stood outside. Vivli turned around to say her final goodbyes.

"Urm. Thanks. I guess. For everything." She said.  
"Don't go getting all mushy. You'll make Bootus cry." Zinkata told her. She laughed.

"See you around, Li." Voldos smiled to her.

"Bye, Princess." Bootus taunted. Vivli had tears forming in her eyes. She turned to the door, and paused. She reached for the handle. Her mind began to race with every thought. Every memory. She had been through so much, longing for a place to belong ever since she left the Monastery. But at some point that feeling had gone away. She realised the truth. She had found that place. And it wasn't Kazham. It wasn't with a bunch of hunters. It was with them. She quickly pulled her hand back.

"On second thoughts," She began, "I already have a family. Right here." She turned around. "I have everything, right here."

"Aw damn, thought we'd gotten rid of her then." Bootus grumbled.

"I'm not going anywhere." Vivli smiled. "We're a four. We're a party. We're a family." Zinkata and Voldos both smiled. Bootus sighed, and decided to say it anyway. The four spoke at once.

"We're the Light Warriors."

**Ending Notes:**

**Right, firstly, thanks again to everybody who read and reviewed. I really appreciate it. If you haven't reviewed but read this far, I'd love to hear what you think, and it only takes a few minutes, so please do so. I'll happily listen to any criticism as well as compliments, so feel free to generally moan and complain at me.**

**And again, a big thank you to Thefrogkiller, who's been so dedicated he's reviewed every chapter and read every single one daily. Thank you!**

**Now, I am going to write the FFXI Chronicles 3, I've pretty much got some ideas I want to start on so that should at least begin very soon. A few things about that. Firstly, there will be a fifth character joining the Light Warriors as we have a new friend who joined us on FFXI. Secondly, I'm _planning _to make it more character related, rather than 'oh no! We have to save the world again!'. I say 'planning', I can't guarantee it'll stay that way. I have back stories for both Voldos and Zinkata to explore, and a new character arc for Vivli. Bootus I have nothing for yet, but I'm tempted to just leave him as the ever present obnoxious galka because it's funny. I have a faint idea for an evil villain and big 'save the world' plot, but if I can avoid it, I will, because saving the world gets tiring by a third story. Also, it's a bit of a stretch. (Yet another old Squaresoft villain).**

**This time around, there were a lot more characters as well. So here I ask for a favour. I exist in a linkshell of five. The five Light Warriors, as it were, with our new addition. I'm not really good friends with anybody else on FFXI, which means characters I can use are limited. Thefrogkiller leant me his, which was useful, but the rest I've made up. Dedji, Arcane, Cruth, Olose, Fiorel, Signot, even Crazy Steve (although he does have a history). This means if you have a character you wouldn't mind seeing in a story, I could seriously use them. After all, this is FFXI, so it would be nice to have real people in it instead of made up ones. If you have a character you'd like to see, please tell me (e-mail, review, I don't care how) their stats, and how you would want them to act (if you have a preference, if not I can just use the name, race and job). I know Thefrogkiller tried this once, and didn't get a very positive response, but I'm trying it just to avoid making up names. If you can, that's great. If you'd rather not, don't worry. If I do use your character, I can't quite guarantee how, or whether it'll be a big part or a small part, but I do know I usually need more characters than I have.**

**Speaking of characters, inspired by Akkiko's work on Omoide Raivu Matsudai I have a character page I'll upload as the next chapter after this one.**

**Finally comes the idea of what else to do. I like writing these stories obviously, and I really like the characters. This means I have lots of spin off stories I could tell as a side project while writing FFXI Chronicles 3. These would update less, but I could try them anyway. I had a few ideas, such as a spin off about Olose, a prequel explaining just how Vivli ever got to Bastok (I mean, how did she manage the journey from Windurst to Bastok when she's as inexperienced as she is?), doing a few journal entries of the heroes from the original stories and a comedy (with an insane crossover) explaining just why my lore doesn't match FFXI's. Again, if there's any spin off stories you'd like to see, feel free to tell me and I'll try and write them. I'm probably over-estimating response since I think I only have about four or five readers, but I'm really appreciative of who reads this so want to do everything I can in return.**

**I also have a few FFXI Chronicles 'extras' I can put up. These include the original chapter of the FFXI Chroncles 1 when I tried to make it a fully blown comedy for the competition because I thought comedy writing may have a better chance of winning (basically a few more jokes and funny moments); a very strange crossover I did with the last story I wrote before the FFXI Chronicles, which was a comedy story about a teenager turned superhero told through first person, in which he ended up in Vana'diel, and time travelling and fighting for the fate of the universe occurred, won't make much sense without having read the original story, but I could stick it up anyway; and I have Zinkata's original entry for the competition when me, him _and _Bootus took part. Zinkata dropped out due to lack of time. I can't upload that anyway without asking him to make sure he doesn't mind, but these are things that I might end up putting up if anybody cares about seeing them. They're pretty crazy, so I can't see why you would, but the offers there.**

**Anyway, thanks a million for reading this far! I really appreciate it, and I hope you've enjoyed the story.**


	29. Characters

**CHARACTERS**

** THESE ARE THE CHARACTERS AS THEY ARE AT THE END OF THE STORY, NOT BEFORE, SO MAKE SURE YOU'VE READ IT IF YOU DON'T WANT CERTAIN THINGS SPOILED **

Inspired by Akkiko's idea, I decided to create a character guide at the end of this story so that you can make sure you haven't forgotten anyone or are confused by anybody. Also works as a nice reminder of things you may have forgotten. Hell, there's some stuff I forgot. If I missed anybody out, it's because I forgot about them. If you like any of these characters, and ever want to use them (I often find myself running low) feel free to use them in whatever you do. Only ones I can't speak for are Angel, Celphie and Andrew as they belong to Thefrogkiller. And obviously, a bunch were made by Squaresoft/Square-enix. And three belong to my friends, but I'm sure they won't mind.

**THE LIGHT WARRIORS**

**ZINKATA**

Status: Alive.

Age: 24

Race: Hume

Job: Warrior

An ex-thief turned warrior, if anybody was the leader of the four it would be Zinkata. A competent swordsman, and pretty much the glue that holds the four together. Raised by Signot, a man who took him in on the streets of Bastok, and raised for the sole purpose of stealing the Crown of Uggalepih so that Signot could resurrect Chaos. Zinkata got his revenge, and seems to not be bothered by the events of the past, but rarely speaks of himself. Occasionally it looks like he has some feelings for Vivli, but that may be because he's the only one who isn't tired of her whining, and so it looks that way. Guess you'll have to wait and see there.

**VIVLI**

Status: Alive

Age: 18

Race: Mithra

Job: White Mage

Raised in a Monastery, separated from her parents, it turned out Vivli was the reincarnation of one of the original Light Warriors. Despite this fact, she's by far the least combat capable of the group, being unusually small in both height and build, and physically very weak. She's a powerful white mage, but prefers the healing spells, and tries to avoid combat. This unfortunately means she's incredibly dependant on the other three, and frequently finds herself in large amounts of trouble. It turned out she was in fact Princess of Kazham, despite the fact Kazham's monarchy was supposed to have been obliterated. It was revealed the monarchy survived purely because they knew one day they would give birth to a Light Warrior. That Light Warrior was Vivli. Also has some bizarre weakness involving the back of her ears.

**VOLDOS**

Status: Alive

Age: 29

Race: Elvaan

Job: Warrior

Very little is known about Voldos's past. As far as it can be told, he was risen in San d'Oria before being sent to Bastok to spy on them. From there, he ran into the Light Warriors. However, it seems that he was officially sent to become a Bastokian citizen, suggesting that he was exiled, and not telling the entire truth. Nobody knows. What is clear is he likes hitting on girls and is becoming the principal ranged attacker of the group, focusing on his skills with a bow far more than his skills with a sword. Voldos can seem a little dim at times, but mostly just tries to have fun, even if that means having a laugh at his expense. We also know that in Voldos's past he was trained as a swordsman by somebody who wanted him to fight to the death in his final challenge. The outcome of this is still unknown. Voldos has never mentioned it.

**BOOTUS**

Status: Unfortunately alive

Age: 33

Race: Galka

Job: Monk

The most noticeable thing about Bootus is he doesn't appear to be very nice. He takes a great pleasure from mocking others, but is rarely serious when he does it. He doesn't get on well with Vivli, and the two often argue about everything and anything they can. Bootus was risen in Bastok and trained by a man known only as Sensei. Bootus left Sensei once his training was complete, to return one day and discover Sensei dead, murdered by Signot as a test of Signot's power. It wasn't until years later he discovered the culprit and managed to fight Signot, helping the Light Warriors defeat him.

**VILLAINS**

**THE DEMON LORD CHAOS**

Status: Dead

Age: Unknown. Over a million.

Race: Demon. Presumably he was once human. (Not hume, but the original human race that inhabitated Gaia, the land before Vana'diel).

Job: Destroyer of Everything

Chaos was once a man named Garland, a knight for the land known as Cornelia. He discovered ultimate power by unleashing the four fiends and became Chaos. Despite his defeat, his spirit endured, becoming known as Uggalepih. The people of Vana'diel believed he was an evil god, and he even got them to construct a temple in his honour. This turned out to be his old Temple of the Fiends reconstructed and he managed to use it, upon his return to Vana'diel, to propel himself back in time and take one final shot at conquering Gaia. The Light Warriors stopped him, but he returned again via the four fiends where he took the form of Carnage. This is where the warriors stopped him once and for all.

**LICH**

Status: Dead

Age: Unknown

Race: Skeleton

Job: Fiend of the Earth

Lich was one of the original four fiends, and managed to return to Vana'diel alone, beginning a plot to bring back the four fiends. He manipulated the Light Warriors into defeating him and allowing Chaos to be reborn. Lich was a fantastic schemer, often having everything under control, and formed the leader of the four fiends.

**KARY**

Status: Dead

Age: Unknown

Race: Maralith

Job: Fiend of the Fire

Kary was more emotional than any of the fiends, and possibly the most deadly, fighting with six swords (until she lost an arm, making it five) and casting lethal fire spells. She served Lich, launching an attack upon Kazham, but in the end existed only to die so that Chaos could be reborn.

**KRAKEN**

Status: Dead

Age: Unknown

Race: Urrr….Kraken?

Job: Fiend of the Water

Kraken was a joker, taking a relaxed attitude to anything, often making observations without actions, and finding himself highly funny. Despite this, he was very powerful, and returned as a spirit before he came back in physical form. Perhaps the most hell-bent of revenge out of the four, wanting to destroy the Light Warriors himself for what they did to him a million years ago.

**TIAMAT**

Status: Dead

Age: Unknown

Race: Dragon

Job: Fiend of the Air

Tiamat was a humorous character, having three individual heads that often didn't agree. Despite this, he had incredibly powerful magic, capable of levitating an island and managed to reconstruct the wind crystal. Despite his immense power he met his end at the hands of the Light Warriors as per Lich's plan.

**CARNAGE  
**

Status: Dead  
Age: 0 (He died just after he was born)

Race: A combination.

Job: Destroyer of Everything

Chaos managed to meld with the four fiends to become Carnage, a multi-armed, multi-legged monster with enough power to strike down the Light Warriors' in one blow. Luckily, Zinkata killed him, aided by the power of Altana.

**NAMELESS**

Status: No longer evil.

Age: 615

Race: Hume

Job: Henchman

Nameless, aka: Olose, was turned to the side of evil by manipulating the curse that ran through him. He acted horribly against Vivli, the girl he appears to love, but managed to redeem himself after being defeated by her.

**SIGNOT**

Status: Dead

Age: 42

Race: Hume

Job: Warrior

Having taken in Zinkata as part of an evil plan, Signot was right hand man to Chaos himself. Eventually killed for his failure, he returned as an undead monster, planning to destroy the Light Warriors. In this form, he was once more destroyed and is no more.

**OTHERS**

**OLOSE SAMPSON**

Status: Missing, presumed dead.

Age: 615

Race: Hume

Job: He seems to have occupied every job at some point in his long life.

Olose Sampson was a werewolf. The last of their kind, bit six hundred years ago by one and had immortality forced upon him because of it. He curiously seemed to know everybody in the world, having done just about everything during his long time of life. He sacrificed himself for the good of the party during their final confrontation with the fiends. His body was never found however, presumably beaten to a pulp. Whether or not he survived is debatable (mainly because I haven't decided yet). Despite his good intentions, he was turned to help the villains due to the werewolf curse.

**DEDJI**

Status: Alive

Age: 22

Race: Mithra

Job: Warrior

Princess of Kazham, and older sister to Vivli, Dedji started off by being a little ashamed of her sister. She quickly replaced this with an extremely strong sisterly urge to protect her, and became very supportive. Despite the differences between the two, they get along very well, and Dedji loves her sister dearly.

**ARCANE**

Status: Alive

Age: 41

Race: Mithra

Job: Warrior

Queen of Kazham, and Dedji and Vivli's mother. She's caring, but also wise, often being the voice of reason and coming up with suggestions the others couldn't have thought of. She allowed her daughter to be taken my the monastery eighteen years ago, and secretly has regretted it ever since.

**CRUTH**

Status: Alive

Age: 39

Race: Mithra

Job: Warrior

The King of Kazham, and a leader for male mithra rights. A warrior despite the stereotype present in mithran culture, Cruth is both powerful and smart. He was possessed by Lich for a time, raining destruction upon the land, saved by his daughter, Vivli.

**ANDREW**

Status: Alive

Age: 19

Race: Hume

Job: Ranger

Andrew ended up leading the rebellion against Lich in San d'Oria, and later became a general of Bastok's army during the crisis. He led his army to victory in the war against the fiends, but eventually the fate of the world came down to the Light Warriors. The events for him now are nothing compared to what happens to him in the future, but you'd have to read Thefrogkiller's 'The Prelude' to find out about that. He runs into a fairly short white mage mithra in that story again as well.

**CELPHIE**

Status: Alive

Age: 21

Race: Hume

Job: Ranger

Sister to Andrew, despite being older she still ended up inferior to Andrew in ranks, probably due to the fact that both trained together at the same ages, giving Andrew a headstart. She too awaits a strange fate, but again, you'll have to read to find out what that is. The next time she meets Vivli, she seems to like her less as well.

** BOTH ANDREW AND CELPHIE ARE FROM THE PRELUDE, AND ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS HERE IS JUST MADE UP (INCLUDING THEIR AGES). THESE EVENTS HAVE NOTHING TO DO WITH THE PRELUDE, AND NEVER ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN THAT STORY. THIS MAKES THEIR INCLUSION PRETTY MUCH FANFICTION OF FANFICTION **

**CRAZY STEVE**

Status: Crazy

Age: 51

Race: Hume

Job: Captain of the ship from Seblina to Mhaura

Crazy Steve is still alive and still crazy. He deserves a mention. The oblivious captain who failed to notice his ship torn apart in an epic battle of good an evil is perhaps the scariest person the Light Warriors ever met.

**ANGEL**

Status: Alive

Age: Unknown (by me! I haven't read through the Angel Chronicles again to check her age in the timeline of when this occurs.)

Race: Mithra

Job: Summoner/Red Mage

Angel's life is full of pitfalls, and her run in with the Light Warriors is just one of them. Another example of fan fiction of fan fiction, Angel is from 'The Angel Chronicles'. She helped the heroes summon Bahamut, king of the dragons twice which both times greatly aided them saving the world. For more on her story, read the Angel Chronicles, and the other parts to find out what happened afterwards.

**FIOREL**

Status: Dead

Age/

Race: Hume Ghost

Job: Paladin

Fiorel was an older brother to Vivli despite no biological relationship, protecting her before she had the Light Warriors to do so. He was slain by Chaos, but came back as a spirit to guide the heroes. His spirit faded away, having finally achieved its purpose in the world in making sure Chaos was defeated once and for all.

**BAHAMUT**

Status: Alive

Age: Unknown

Race: Dragon

Job: King of the Dragons

Bahamut is neither good nor bad, but serves those that prove themselves. Somehow involved in the actual plot of Chains of Promethia, but I don't know what he does. In the FFXI Chronicles the Light Warriors proved themselves in battle, and Bahamut agreed to help them. One time he gave them directions, and a second he showed his true combat abilities. They still have the ruby through which they can summon him. Vivli holds on to it because she thinks it's 'pretty'.

**ALTANA**

Status: Alive

Age: Unknown

Race: Goddess

Job: Goddess

Altana is (yep, you've guessed it), a goddess. She appeared to the Light Warriors when they finally defeated Chaos, and intervened to bring them back to life. She appears benevolent, and is worshipped all over Vana'diel.

**ALEXANDRIA**

Status: Dead

Age: 25

Race: Hume

Job: White Mage/Summoner

Although she was originally working for Chaos, she realised the errors of her ways and tried to correct herself. She was unfortunately murdered by a nameless dark knight before she could help them summon

Bahamut however.

**CID**

Status: Alive

Age: 42

Race: Hume

Job: Engineer

Cid is a master of technology, working for Bastok. Despite Jeuno's prominence in being the greatest airship constructors, Cid decided to build one for Bastok. He tried to counter the size and power of Jeuno's ships with a small and fast vessel, the _Raven. _Although destroyed just prior to the Battle of San d'Oria, he successfully constructed a second ship, the _Raven II, _to replace it. Working as the pilot for the Light Warriors, he's proven there's no better, putting the _Raven _through seemingly impossible manoeuvres to save them time and time again.


End file.
